


To Bring Back the Rain

by AlphaShae



Category: One Piece
Genre: Accompanying Art, Adventure, Fantasy, Gen, Lots of Zoro and Sanji bickering, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:05:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 26,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6619066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaShae/pseuds/AlphaShae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The land is dying from a mysterious drought, and it's slowly killing Sanji's best friend, Zoro, who is the sacred tree guardian of their town. When their small water supply begins to dry up too Sanji has to decide if he will follow the other refugees south, or join a strange professor who claims to know how to break the curse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"No rain again today huh?" The head chef, Zeff, grunted to himself as he took a brief moment to lean against a counter to rest the aching remains of his right leg where it was strapped to his wooden prosthetic. The wrinkles on his craggy face deepened moodily as he looked out the small kitchen window at the overcast sky while rubbing his sore limb.   
  
"It makes no damn sense!" Nearby Patty, the resident bread chef, violently kneaded the dough on the table before him with his huge hands. His massive shoulders were bunched in frustration as he hunched over his work, "Almost six goddamn years and not a single drop of rain or snow! But always clouds, clouds and more shitty clouds!"   
  
The shorter chef chopping vegetables at the station beside the bread counter groused loudly over his shoulder in reply, "They ain't natural. The way they just sit up there constantly… It's the curse!"   
  
Zeff kicked the second chef sharply in the thigh with his wooden pegleg; his long, braided mustache bristling as he snarled, "Carne, I'll have none of that shitty curse talk in my kitchen! _Now get back to work_ !"   
  
Meanwhile at the stove, paying only half a mind to the head chef's rampage, Sanji mindlessly stirred a massive pot full of thick, fatty stew as he looked out to the sky. The clouds were indeed there; immobile and unyielding as they had been for months and months. The land under the overcast sky was dead and brown. All the grass and flowers had died in the first six months, the animals had fled far away soon after, and now this small community of theirs was stranded in an ocean of dust and gloomy half-light. Sanji's bored gaze meandered over the monotonous landscape, following the swell of the earth until the ground rose suddenly in the jagged boulders of the steep and rocky hill beside the town. If he squinted, Sanji imagined that he could make out the steeple of the hilltop church in the weak sunlight.   
  
"I'm telling you, the land is cursed! We should all leave this place like the others. Who knows how much longer the well will hold out with no rain…" Behind him, Sanji could hear Carne speaking in barely-hushed tones to Patty. He snuck a glance over at the head chef, silently observing the tension in Zeff's shoulders as he scolded one of the other cooks on the other side of the large, busy kitchen. Their last waiter had run away the other night, and today the sullen expressions on the kitchen staff and the words remaining carefully unspoken by the wiser cooks made the normally hectic atmosphere of the busy kitchen seem absolutely stifling. Carne’s words rankled him like a sharp stone in his shoe, and he almost wished that Zeff would overhear him and kick the dumbass in his stupid face until the shitty thought of running away like a coward flew out of his thick skull. All the others had been cowards and weak, and they were probably lying dead out in the vast wasteland which would serve them right. Sanji would have told Carne just that, and maybe bruised his other leg for good measure; however, the immobile clouds hanging in the sky inspired in him the nagging anxiety that things would only become much worse in this drying husk of a town - curse or no curse. The shitty vegetable-chopper was only saying what was on everyone’s mind nowadays. If it didn’t rain, how much longer could they all stay?   
  
Simmering fear and anger were making him antsy, itching to _do_ something to relieve the strain, and he had to get out of the restaurant before he kicked someone in the face. Sanji looked around until he spotted a cook who was carefully scrubbing the dishes and tools in the sink clean with sand. Water was too valuable to use in washing now. He untied his stain-riddled apron, wadded it into an untidy ball and threw it at the back of the cook’s head to get his attention. He grinned toothily when the man turned with a scowl and a curse, his curly, brown hair flopping over his glaring eyes. Sanji snorted when the ballsy fucker flipped him off, and he gestured to the steaming pot on the stove, "You! Come here and finish the old man's shitty stew and don’t fuck it up!"

  
Nearby at the entrance to the pantry, Zeff looked up from the thick book he was scribbling in to shoot him a sharp look from under his thick, blond eyebrows, "Where the hell do you think you're off to, little eggplant?"   
  
"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back before the dinner service tonight." He grabbed his battered, old metal canteen off a nearby shelf and slung the long, cloth strap over his shoulder. Each cook had one, and they guarded them jealously since they were all rationed only two fills a day. Sanji absently traced where his initials were scratched near the screw-on cap, “I can do all the post-meal inventory if you want; I just really need a breather...”   
  
Before Zeff could answer, Carne snorted derisively, his stubbled face twisted in a sneer, "Going back up that damn hill? You’re a naive sap, Sanji. Don’t you know it doesn't matter how much you pray? That old shrine is as cursed as the rest of this wretched town!"   
  
A cleaver flew across the kitchen with frightening precision and Carne turned a sickly pale color when the blade narrowly missed the hand he had resting on the surface of the cutting-board in front of him - neatly severing a corner of his sleeve as it sunk solidly into the wood. Zeff's arm was still poised for the follow-through motion of his throw and his glittering, icy-blue eyes didn't leave Carne's sweaty features even as he spoke aside to Sanji, "Be back earlier. We are expecting a large group to pass through tonight."   
  
Sanji nodded curtly in reply before slipping out the back door.   
  
His shoes clicked on the hard, dry earth, leaving faint prints in the fine, ever-shifting layer of grit and raising a small puff of dust with each step as he made his way to the well in the center of the empty town. He’d grown used to the silent, abandoned buildings, and he didn’t bother to glance at black, gaping doorways and windows left carelessly open as he walked by; small evidences of the refugees that had passed through. No one bothered shutting them back up anymore, and in many cases the locks and handles were broken beyond repair.

 

Before the drought, this had been a large town, and an important waypoint for trade and travel across the wide, flat plains; as indicated by the many beautifully elaborate wooden buildings and the remains of bright paints that were cracking and dulled under a layer of grit. Now even the rats were long gone, and he’d long stopped looking for traces of life in the bone-dry dirt. Still, the sharp echo of his shoes was unsettling after the comforting bustle of the kitchen, and Sanji was instinctively relieved to see the well ahead and the chef standing guard over it. The lone cook merely nodded in greeting as Sanji uncapped the canteen at his side and held it under the mouth of the pump. He worked the handle, filling it to the top with precious water before stopping the pump and catching the last trickle in his palm to drink. Licking his lips he jerked his head in the direction of the restaurant, "Zeff got word that it's a large group this time. You should get someone else to watch with you in case they get rowdy."  
  
The cook-turned-guard bobbed his head in agreement; his lips held in a thin, grim expression as he unconsciously touched a jagged scar that vanished into his hairline near his temple. Sanji understood the apprehension. Guests were a mixed blessing and a curse. One of the reasons that they had survived in this miserable place so long was bartering with the people passing through… and there were travelers arriving nearly every day. However, the constant flow of outsiders were an added stress on their uncertain water supply. Apparently the drought was pretty wide-spread, and they had one of the last functioning wells on the plains. So nearly everyone seeking water and food came their way. However, not all of them were peaceful or reasonable, and every one of Zeff’s men knew how to fight to defend their precious resources.   
  
Sanji nodded a farewell, carefully avoiding staring at how the unhappy cook’s fingers lingered on his scar. He ducked his head through his canteen strap and settled it securely at his side before heading down one of the narrower side streets. As he approached the edge of the town he passed the few glass-roofed greenhouses where they grew their meagre supply of fresh vegetables and took a short detour to prowl around the outsides to check that the barbed-wire was still in place and the heavy, metal doors were locked tight. Most of their food came from travelers - traded for resources - but they still grew what they could with a clever system of recycling water that Patty had rigged up.

 

Satisfied that all was well, Sanji pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. Last week he’d bought them from an older gentleman for a cup of tea. He stuck one between his lips as he fished for his box of matches before bending to strike one on the bottom of his shoe. Holding the flaming match to his smoke, he carefully breathed in to light it up and coughed harshly when he also inhaled some dust mixed with the smoke. The cigarettes certainly didn’t help with the constant feeling of dryness and thirst, but Sanji enjoyed the taste, as well as how smoking helped him unwind and forget the worries piling up in the back of his mind.

 

Since he had promised Zeff that he wouldn’t be too long, Sanji didn’t linger to enjoy his cigarette, and he drew in deep, steady breaths of bitter tobacco as he strode toward the edge of the town where the ground began to rise. The road faded into a small path meandering up the rocky landscape, and the ground was less compact from years of disuse. His shoes slid in the sandy gravel as he unwaveringly started up the hill.

 

The slope elevated sharply and his canteen weighed heavily at his side, banging his hip with each step as he began the climb up the bluff. After several minutes of walking, the rocky path ended at the foot of what had once been a set of wooden stairs scaling the steepest part of the hill. Now there were only a few poles here and there with the occasional stray plank still attached. Undeterred, Sanji scrambled up onto a large boulder and scanned the small cliff before him. He located his customary handhold, flicked away his spent cigarette, and stepped off his perch. He gripped the crack in the rock, tendons and muscles straining as he tried to secure his position… There was a precarious moment where his feet uselessly scraped the rock as his toehold unexpectedly crumbled. However the end of one shoe finally caught, and Sanji quickly began to climb.   
  
He knew just where to reach for the next handhold; which ledges could support his weight, and so the climb went by swiftly. Once he scaled to the top and pulled himself over the lip, he took a minute to look around while he caught his breath. The top of the hill was broad and flat. Before him was the wooden church containing the old town shrine. The tall, finely-crafted steeple still held a set of five iron bells. Sanji remembered them ringing out merrily in his younger days as the townsfolk gathered to give thanks for their harvests and good weather at the shrine. No one rang the bells anymore, and Sanji had stopped caring some time ago. What reason was there to ring them anymore except for funerals? Fuck that.   
  
On either side of the path before the entrance of the church someone had planted two oak trees a very long time ago; before he’d been born and not long after the founding of the town. These trees had been revered as the guardian spirits of the shrine. However, way back when the town was still thriving, a terrible storm had rolled over the plains; strong winds had laid waste to the fields and destroyed many homes, and a great bolt of lightning had struck one of the beloved trees. Sanji remembered as a child being frightened of the shrieking winds and the explosive crack of that awful lightning strike. The tree had never recovered. The force of the lightning had split it in two, burning both halves black as pitch, and no new branches would grow. The men of the town had eventually cut down the poor tree and it was revealed that the wound from the lightning had gone all the way into the base and roots. Now only a scarred stump remained. That year the other sacred tree’s leaves had dropped early, and it had refused to bud again for almost two years. The villagers had thought at first that it had also died, but Sanji had known better...   
  
Walking up to surviving tree. Sanji gave it a fond pat before lowering himself to the ground and  comfortably resting his back against the trunk. Some green leaves still fluttered on its branches, but most had long died, exposing the thick, strong branches until they resembled arms with fingers grasping toward the sky. Sanji closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the rough bark of the trunk as he listened to the dry rattle of the breeze through the few dry husks of dead leaves that had yet to fall. He could still remember sitting like this under the tree on a sunny summer day, watching how the broad, green leaves flashed like emeralds in the light. Sanji used to fall asleep here, with his head pillowed on the soft, thick moss that crawled up the tree’s sturdy trunk, and the swish of leafy branches soothing him like a lullaby. It had always been a very special place to him.   
  
His precious childhood memories were rudely interrupted by a familiar voice, "I can see both eyebrows like this you know. You look so dumb."   
  
Sanji defensively slapped his hand over his forehead to hide his 'unique' delicately curling eyebrows and opened his eyes to glare at the small spirit crouched before him. Zoro was always an ass. Sanji couldn’t think of a good reason right now why he still bothered to come see this jerk every day. The spirit smirked at him when he growled in annoyance and responded cheekily, "You don't scare me!"   
  
Without thinking, he snapped back harshly, "Oh yeah? Well what if I stop coming and leave your sorry ass up here alone!"   
  
Zoro's smile dropped instantly, and the sadness Sanji could see in the spirit's brilliantly green eyes made him feel guilty. "Sorry. I didn't mean that." Sanji reached out and affectionately ruffled Zoro's short green hair until it fluffed out in haphazard spikes and Zoro smacked his hand away with an indignant yowl. Chuckling, Sanji stood and dusted off his pants before lifting his canteen strap over his head. They were both silent as he uncapped the container and crouched to carefully pour it out at the base of Zoro’s tree. They both knew that if Sanji hadn't faithfully brought water up here every day poor Zoro would have withered long ago. Even with Sanji's care he was still showing effects of the drought. When he'd first met Zoro nearly a decade ago the spirit had been strong, tall and elegant with gleaming eyes and stern features; but now Zoro's stature had shrunk to that of a young boy - all gangly limbs and a scruffy appearance.   
  
After fruitlessly holding the empty canteen upended for a minute, Sanji set it down next to the trunk and rested his forearms on his knees as he watched the damp spot in the earth vanish. Zoro sat down against his trunk with a sigh, "Thanks, curly. So how is the old man? Has he kicked your ass today?"   
  
Sanji rolled his eyes, "Fuck you. Zeff is fine. I'd ask him to come too you know, but he can't get up here with his wooden leg. Besides he's never been able to see you."   
  
Zoro shrugged, "I know. I just like the stories he tells you. About the forests and the blue sea…"   
  
"Yeah I like his stories too..." Sanji turned to sit at the spirit’s side. Impulsively he grabbed a nearby stone and threw it as hard as he could, trying to hit the old posts marking the top of the broken stairs.   
  
"You missed."   
  
"Shut up." Sanji snatched up another rock to try again, "He hasn't been in a storytelling mood recently. The last waiter left with that group of travelers from the other day, remember? Everybody is pretty tense. Carne was talking about the curse again."   
  
Zoro hummed thoughtfully, "If this keeps up it's just gonna be you and the old man down there…" There was a drawn out moment of silence between them, and Sanji turned to see Zoro studying him seriously. The spirit then asked in a quiet voice, "Are you thinking about it? Going south with the others?"   
  
Sanji chewed his lip a moment as he threw another rock, watching with satisfaction as it ricocheted off his target, "I don't know. The stories about the water in the south might not be true, and we have a perfectly good well here. This place is my home…" Looking up at the steely sky, Sanji let a wry smile tug at his lips, "Besides, it might rain tomorrow."   
  
Zoro snorted, "Idealist."   
  
"Go ahead and smirk over there, but you'd miss me if I went south."   
  
The spirit outright laughed at that, "Who'd miss you? It's getting late, you better get back to work."   
  
Sanji rolled his eyes, "Trying to get rid of me?" They both could clearly see the rising cloud of dust on the horizon as a group of travelers headed their way down the road, but Sanji had never been one to pass up a sarcastic quip.

  
Zoro’s smirk grew wider and that much more annoying, "You noticed?"   
  
"Asshole!"   
  
Zoro's laugh was bright and warm, the few leaves overhead rattling softly as the spirit's eyes sparkled for a moment. Sanji grinned back at him and leaned over to playfully shove at Zoro's thin frame, but instead of smacking him back as usual, Zoro leaned his small body against Sanji with a sigh, “Looks like those refugees reached your old man’s place.”

 

Sanji nodded and flicked a small pebble away to watch it skid over the dirt, “I could stay a little longer…”

 

A thin arm wrapped around his shoulders, and Zoro squeezed him before speaking softly, “You have to go help them. I don’t need you to sit here and hold my hand all night.”

  
Rolling his eyes, Sanji chose to ignore the spirit’s shitty bravado and replied seriously, "I'll come back as soon as the old man will let me."   
  
Zoro dropped his arm and nodded, "I know."   
  
"Don't go anywhere."   
  
Snorting, the spirit straightened and pushed him away, "Get your dumb ass off my hill!"   
  
Jumping to his feet, Sanji ruffled the small spirit's green hair and darted away when Zoro swatted at him in anger. He cackled when the spirit gave chase and he ran for the cliff. Zoro skidded to a stop a hundred feet or so  away from the edge of the hill. That was the furthest his roots extended and he couldn't go any further. Sanji dropped down to sit on the lip of the cliff before he nimbly twisted as he slid down - his toes searching for footholds as he held his weight up on his hands. He met Zoro's gaze one last time, "See you tomorrow!"   
  
The spirit nodded and stood, quietly watching with sadness creeping back into his expression as the blond lowered himself out of sight. Sanji hated to leave Zoro all alone up there, but he had a job to do. The old man needed him too, after all.   
  
The travelers had already filtered into the restaurant when Sanji reached town again. It really was a large group, and he could see various carts parked in a half-circle around the well. There was every kind of vehicle imaginable; gear-crankers, peddlers, and even a few fuel-powered engines. Sanji quickened his pace and jogged up to the chefs guarding the well; glad to see that the cook from before had taken his advice and gotten another chef to stand watch with him. "Has there been any trouble?"   
  
Still brandishing his pitchfork at the ready, the stockier of the two chefs shook his head, "Didn't give 'em the chance. We told them all services and water transactions were handled inside and that the head chef had a meal waiting for them. They were all too tired to pick a fight."   
  
"Good." Sanji brushed the dirt and grit from his clothes as he eyed the carts all loaded with large bundles of personal belongings. No doubt the restaurant would be chaotic, and he'd be running his ass off until late tonight. However, they should be able to make some good trades today. Maybe he could even snag himself an actual lighter for his cigarettes.   
  
"What’s that?" Sanji turned to see one of the well-guards squinting off down the road that ran through the town. "It looks like… someone is coming up from the south?"   
  
"How can that be?" Sanji spun to see for himself, "That would mean someone is coming back…?"   
  
There was indeed a cloaked figure making their way up the southern road as clear as day. Sanji's jaw dropped, and he stared as the traveler kept drawing closer. The two guards were as tense as he was, and their eyes kept nervously darting from each other to the stranger coming their way. Sanji took a step back toward the restaurant and managed to mutter out, "I'll find Zeff. Stay sharp, and we'll change the guard as usual."   
  
"Yes, Chef Sanji!"   
  
He took off for the kitchen entrance behind the Baratie at a run. A few of the older chefs squawked at him indignantly as he dashed into the kitchen through the back door, but he ignored them as he looked around for Zeff. He didn't see that shitty mustache anywhere, so he elbowed past an irritable chef at the grill to go down into the underground cool storage. Zeff was there sitting in a wooden chair off to the side, scribbling in the big ledger resting on his lap, He looked up as Sanji clattered down the stairs and scowled, "You’re fucking late, shitty eggplant!"   
  
"Another traveler is here."   
  
"Eh? A straggler?" Zeff shut his ledger and stood slowly, "Send them to my office and we'll see what they need."   
  
Sanji shook his head, "They're different. They came up the south road!"   
  
"What?!" Zeff barked, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline, "Are you sure?"   
  
"Saw it myself."   
  
The older chef dropped his ledger onto the chair before shoving past Sanji to thunk heavily up the stairs, "We need to talk to them and see if there was some sort of trouble down the road. It may be someone who came through last night."   
  
Sanji  paused a moment, stories of bands of murderous thieves and packs of bloodthirsty, feral dogs flashed through his mind before he followed Zeff up the stairs. The two of them pushed through the kitchen and out the back door. Sanji nearly ran into Zeff’s broad back when the older man stopped dead at the end of the alleyway, watching the mysterious, cloaked stranger speaking with the chefs at the well. Zeff was frowning deeply, his moustache twitching in thought, “I can’t tell with that damned hood, but I don’t recall seeing those boots before…”   
  
Nodding, Sanji craned his neck trying to spot the face hidden in that deep cowl, "Nobody in their right mind wears white boots with _heels_ in the wastes."   
  
Zeff grunted in agreement before turning to return to the kitchen, "Offer the full service. No charge. And invite them to drink with me later."   
  
Sanji gave Zeff a sidelong glance as he passed, "I'm not going to sit in my room like a child and wait for you to tell me what happened."   
  
Zeff huffed, not bothering to stop and forcing Sanji to come after him to hear his reply, "You _are_ a child. But yes, you can serve the drinks."   
  
"Deal." Sanji matched the old man’s sly grin before plunging into the chaos of the kitchen and winding a path through to the dining room doors.

  
At the door, Patty was delivering his usual monologue, "I'm sorry, shitty honored guest, but we can only accept payment in food-stuffs, medicines, or necessary goods…"   
  
"Shut your stupid face, Patty! Get your ass back in the kitchen where you belong!" Sanji snapped and kicked the bigger man subtly in the shin. Patty shot him a dark glare and hobbled away, cursing under his breath and complaining about employee abuse. Sanji smiled at the strange traveler apologetically, "I'm sorry about him. We're a bit of a rough bunch here but I'd like to offer you our full hospitality. Courtesy of our head chef."   
  
"Why thank you." A rich voice, sounding like warm honey spoke from the shadows of the cowl before their guest reached up and pulled back the hood. Soft brown eyes, long black hair in a thick braid, and fine features with a thin, elegant nose had Sanji feeling weak at the knees. He smiled genuinely and reached for a slim hand, intending to greet her with polite kiss, "My lady, your beauty is like an oasis in this wasteland!"   
  
His hand stopped in midair before he had a chance to cradle those lovely fingers in his own, and he stared at his own arm in confusion. He didn't feel a thing, yet he could see a translucent hand wrapped around his wrist firmly, preventing him from extending it any further. His bewilderment grew as he swiftly counted the number of hands he could see belonging to the stranger before him - one, two… three?!   
  
He reflexively yanked his wrist back out of that ghostly grip and nervously stuffed his hand into the pocket of his pants. The ghostly hand vanished the instant he was released and a chill ran down his spine. The traveler watched him sternly, "If you please, I have come far and I have no need for such attentions. I would thank you to call me Professor, or Professor Nico as well as to use neutral pronouns. Because I am no more 'your lady' or a lady in any sense of that social construct than you are an ornamental vase."   
  
Sanji blinked. Neutral pronouns? If it made the lovely professor happy, then he was happy to respect those wishes, "Then please follow me, Professor. I did not mean to offend."   
  
Professor Nico's lips quirked in the barest hint of a smile before they fell into step as Sanji lead the way through the crowded dining room. He showed the professor to a more private table in the corner by the fireplace. There was already a bottle of wine waiting to be uncorked, and Sanji set to removing the foil and removing the stopper with his personal corkscrew while the professor seated themselves; shrugging off the rucksack slung over one shoulder to set it on the floor, and removing their dusty cloak to hang it over the back of the chair. After wiping the debris from the bottle-opening, he quickly inspected the wineglass for smudges left by one of the other clumsy kitchen staff’s ugly paws. Satisfied, he gave the professor a charming smile and poured with a perfect fall distance to allow to wine to aerate, and he added a little twist to the bottle after finishing the pour to prevent any unsightly drips. He presented the wineglass and wiped the neck of the bottle clean watching the professor pick up the glass and inspect the quality with a satisfied hum. He caught their eyes before nodding at the bottle, "I hope this white wine will suit your taste for tonight. Please let us know if there is anything you need, and I will bring you the first course shortly."   
  
The professor smiled as they gently swirled the wine in the glass, "Thank you. May I ask your name?"   
  
He straightened his jacket and stood a little taller under the professor's inspection, "Pardon me for not introducing myself sooner! My name is Sanji Corbeau, and I am the sous chef of this restaurant."   
  
"I am honored. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Corbeau." The professor gave a friendly nod and Sanji smiled back.   
  
Before leaving the professor to enjoy their wine, Sanji added, "Also the head chef has extended you an invitation to join him for a drink later this evening - we are interested in your travels."   
  
Professor Nico tapped the glass in their hand thoughtfully with one finger, "Yes, there are many things to discuss. Please thank the head chef for his invitation and let him know that I accept."   
  
"Of course, Professor." Sanji gave a polite little bow in parting. However, as he turned to go, out of the corner of his eye he saw something that startled him enough to stumble. Professor Nico had lifted the wine to drink, but hovering over their shoulder like a faint shadow was a ghostly duplicate of the professor's face watching Sanji leave. Three arms and now two faces?! Sanji hurried back to the kitchen feeling flustered and unnerved.   
  
Zeff pulled him aside, "So?"   
  
"I think we have to be careful around this one. There's just something about them that's… off."   
  
"Hmm…" Zeff glanced back at the kitchen doors before glaring at his wide-eyed kitchen staff who had crept closer out of curiosity, "Who said you lazy slobs could stand around and have a shitty tea party?! _Get back to work_ !"   
  
The old chef's mustache twitched in amused satisfaction as his chefs scurried back to their stations, the closest staff members skittering nervously out of range of his infamous kicking leg. Reaching up he cuffed the back of Sanji's neck and pulled him close so he could ask quietly, "You saw something?"   
  
Swallowing, Sanji nodded silently. Zeff's lips thinned in a pensive expression as he acknowledged Sanji's wordless concern with a grunt. Sanji straightened his clothes when the old chef released him, "Back to work, eggplant. We have a special guest to cook for."   
  
The dinner service passed in a blur. All their recipes used as little water or salt as possible. Other liquids such as molten fats, oils, and vintage alcohols kept the dishes deliciously moist, and the ingenious steam traps that Carne had rigged for the cooking pots and pans collected a respectable two cups of precious water - enough to sustain their little herb garden in the kitchen's window box. The food paled in comparison to Sanji's memories of lavish feasts long ago. However, each dish was received with immense gratitude from the weary travelers in their dining room, and in a few cases the guest cried silently into their food as they ate. It made Sanji feel so very proud of what they did and sad all at the same time. For all he knew this may be some of these people's last meal.   
  
Eventually everyone had their fill, and the accounts were settled according to what each guest could afford before they all shuffled off to sleep outside or in the abandoned houses of the town. Sanji and Zeff wrapped things up in the kitchen; making sure that their chefs were well fed on the leftovers that they had from the meal, changing the chefs guarding the well, and instructing the rest of the staff on their cleanup duties. Professor Nico alone was left in the dining area, lounging comfortably in front of the fire while leisurely sipping a third glass of wine. Zeff limped out into the dining room and chased off the chef who was wiping tables with a dry cloth to collect the crumbs to feed their two chickens. Sanji soon followed with a scotch for Zeff and a hard cider for himself. He poured their drinks before pulling up a third chair to join the others at the table.   
  
Professor Nico smiled at them slyly and poured themselves another glass of wine, "Practical men such as yourselves do not offer such rare comforts without purpose. There is something you wish to know?"   
  
Zeff enjoyed a few mouthfuls of his drink before setting it down with an appreciative grunt, "At least you're not a drooling ignoramus. No one has come up from the south before. So is there something to the rumors? Is there water in the south?"   
  
"Indeed." The professor leaned back in their chair.   
  
Sanji looked at his old man with wide eyes, "It's true?! All of it?! The water drips from the leaves of giant trees like rivers?"   
  
Zeff hummed thoughtfully, and the professor spoke again, "It is all true. However...!" The professor uncrossed their legs and leaned toward Zeff and Sanji with deadly seriousness in their eyes, "The drought is spreading. Even now it is infecting the skies to the south and the rain is drying up. Mark my words, the southern lands will become yet another wasteland within the decade."   
  
Sanji's elation died a quick death and despair crept into his heart. Was there no hope? Were they all doomed to inevitably die of thirst?   
  
Zeff sighed heavily, "I had suspected that might be the case." He leaned his weight on the arm of his chair and watched the professor with keen eyes, "So tell me, why exactly have you come back? Why not travel further south where there is still water?"   
  
Professor Nico picked up their wineglass and thoughtfully tapped the glass with one finger, "I would suppose that sounds sensible. But my interests lie in discovering the secret behind this phenomenon. Never in any record of history has there been a disaster like this, and I find it hard to believe that an environmental catastrophe of this magnitude could happen entirely by chance."   
  
Sanji blinked, "You don't believe this is just a drought? You think it _is_ a curse?"   
  
The professor turned their solemn gaze on Sanji, "Perhaps not a curse, but it is certainly unnatural."   
  
Zeff grunted skeptically before asking with his eyes narrowed and gleaming, "Do you have any leads?"   
  
“Well there is one thing…” The two of them leaned in with interest and Professor Nico’s voice lowered, “I have extensively researched the migrations of refugees escaping the drought, and I found a very interesting account of an entire town from the mountains that fled their home months before other places began to dry up. Also the places that have newly been affected there have been reports of unseasonal snow and frosts.”

  
“Snow?” Zeff’s brow knitted in confusion, “In the jungle?”   
  
“Indeed.”   
  
“I thought it was supposed to be too warm for snow that far south of the mountains?” Even as he spoke, Sanji’s mind drifted to a memory where he was laughing as he gathered another icy handful to throw at an annoyed, sleepy Zoro.

 

_His breath hung in the frigid air like fog as he grinned at the tree spirit. Zoro growled and shook himself and his tree, showering snow from his branches. Sanji squawked as fluffy clumps of ice rained down on him from overhead, sparkling in the winter sunlight. The small blond glared up at the spirit as Zoro smirked down at him, his arms crossed over his broad chest, “Serves you right, shorty curly!”_

 

_“Asshole!” Sanji viciously kicked out at Zoro’s shin, surprised when his boot hit with a solid thwack. He stood there, blinking in confusion as Zoro shouted in pain and limped in an angry circle while cursing._

 

_From behind them a bright laugh rang out, “You’re getting slow, Zoro!”_

 

_“Shut up, Kuina!” Zoro snarled at the tree spirit watching them from the other side of the path, swinging her legs as she perched in one of her stately oak’s snowy branches._

 

_She stuck out her tongue at Zoro before jumping to the ground and landing soundlessly on the delicate crust of the snow. Walking over to Sanji without leaving a single print, she gently brushed some snow from his collar and smiled, “Seems like you can do more than just see us, little one…”_

 

“Pay attention, shitty eggplant!” Zeff’s fingers snapped in front of his face, startling Sanji from his memories.

 

He jerked back instinctively, his bangs slipping out of place as he snarled at the older chef, “Don’t fucking call me that, old man!” He fussed his hair back into place as he muttered indignantly under his breath about senile old chefs. Suddenly a ghostly hand loomed toward him and that mist-like face appeared over the professor’s shoulder again. His eyes widened when the phantom fingers reached up to brush over his bangs lightly. He held very still, and the professor’s two faces smiled at him before speaking softly, “You have been blessed with unique insight. You can really see me, can’t you?”  
  
“Yes…” Sanji held his breath as the professor’s hand gently moved his hair aside.   
  
“Oh my.” The professor blinked their eyes as the ghostly hand faded away, “How beautiful!”   
  
Sanji fought the urge to cover the left side of his face again. He didn’t like people looking at the mark. He chewed his lip uncomfortably as he watched the professor’s gaze running over the pale golden lines. He’d looked at it many times in the mirror himself and he knew it by heart; the elongated figure of a bird spiraled in on itself, surrounding his eye. Feathers looping off its back mirrored the curl of his eyebrow, and multiple eyes spotted the inside of its body. Most people who saw it were either terrified of it, or tried to carve it off his face assuming that the faintly shimmering mark held value of some kind, so he’d learned to hide it long ago.   
  
Zeff stood and stumped over stiffly to place himself protectively between Sanji and the professor, " _That_ has nothing to do with this."   
  
"Whoever gave you that mark gave you a rare gift." The professor's second face smiled at the young blonde from around Zeff's imposing form.   
  
Sanji brushed his hair back into place and replied bitterly, "Most people say it’s a curse..."   
  
Before the professor could reply, one of the other chefs ran into the room. His face was as white as flour as he called out with panic in his tone, "Head Chef!"   
  
"What's wrong?!" Zeff snapped; obviously not in the mood for the bad news they all instinctively knew was coming.   
  
"The well!" Sanji stiffened and he saw Zeff's fists clench, "We drew up the bucket for night rations like always, but it came up full of mud!"   
  
"Shit!" Sanji swore angrily as he jumped to his feet and viciously kicked the sturdy table leg. They all knew what this meant. It had happened to all the other wells in town. The water was drying up.   


Zeff's eyes darkened with resignation. The head chef suddenly looked very old as his strong shoulders slumped, "Get the boys up. Tell them I'm calling a meeting."  
  
Sanji couldn't stand the sight of Zeff giving up. The stubborn bastard never budged an inch for anything or anyone, but now he was sinking back into his chair and silently burying his face in his gnarled hands in despair. Sanji couldn’t stand to see this, and he didn't want to hear the words that he knew Zeff would say to everyone… So Sanji fled of the restaurant. He heard a voice call out after him but he didn't stop. His feet brought him to the bottom of the hill, and without even thinking, he recklessly began to scale the cliff in the darkness. His breathing was harsh, even panicked, as he groped for handholds in the dark. It was only his memory of where to put his hands and feet that kept him moving upward without falling and breaking his neck. There was no moon and there were no stars. The night around him was practically black with only the faintest light from above the shitty ever-present clouds making dark shapes somewhat visible.   
  
Pulling himself up over the edge of the cliff, Sanji stumbled to his feet and began to pace furiously. He was swearing and pulling at his hair as he raged at the black sky. " _Motherfucking, shitty, useless clouds...!_ " He whined in his throat and fell to his knees, "Please...! Just rain!"   
  
"Sanji?" Zoro materialized nearby, crouching at the edge of his root system, "What happened?! Why are you up here?"   
  
"It's over..." Sanji half groaned, half sobbed as he clawed at the dry ground, "Fucking mud in the well, Zoro! The water is gone!"   
  
The spirit remained silent for a moment, watching as Sanji took his anger out on the barren dirt. His voice was small when he finally asked, "What will you do? Will you go south?"   
  
"It's no use!" Sanji hissed and turned to face the spirit, "The professor said that it's spreading..."   
  
He couldn't make out Zoro's expressions well in the dark, but his voice betrayed his surprise, "Someone came?! From the south?!"   
  
"Indeed."   
  
Professor Nico's voice came out of the cold night, startling the two of them. A moment later, their two heads were visible over the lip of the cliff in the light of a lantern held in the professor's ghostly third hand. They pulled themselves up and stood, dusting themselves off before addressing Sanji, "I did say that the drought is spreading, but that doesn't mean that all hope is lost."   
  
"You really think that you can bring back the water…?" Sanji murmured, staring at the professor with wide eyes.   
  
"Who the fuck are you?!" Zoro snapped and stood, drawing himself up as tall as his childish body allowed as he glared at this stranger.   
  
"I am Professor Robin Nico, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I wasn't aware that there was a guardian spirit in this place. It seems this town is full of pleasant surprises."   
  
Zoro grunted but didn't back down, glaring at the professor as they drew nearer to Sanji. Robin crouched down in front of the blonde and rested their arms on their knees, their third arm setting the lantern on the ground, "I came after you to ask for you to come with me." The professor spoke bluntly, their gaze steady, "I want you to come to the north."   
  
"Why?" Sanji was confused as he stared back into those mysterious, dark eyes, "What could I possibly do up there?"   
  
"I don't know..." The professor tilted their head as they confessed, "But what I do know is that mark you bear has given you great ability, and my instincts tell me that you are strong. Perhaps even strong enough to handle whatever may come."   
  
"Perhaps?! I don't know what you're about, but you can't ask that of him! You're wanting him to risk his life based on some... some hunch?!" Zoro snarled, his childish features twisted in anger.   
  
"I am not asking anything of him that I am unwilling to risk myself." The professor leveled a cool gaze on Zoro's angry face before turning back to Sanji, "I will not lie, we have little information, and little chance of success. But you can be certain that if nothing is done everything will be lost and those you care about will suffer."   
  
"You don't have to do this!" Zoro hissed at Sanji while still glaring at the professor, "Go south! Open a better restaurant and serve less shitty food! Maybe you could even go to the sea! Just think of how much the old man would like that…"   
  
"And what about you?"   
  
Zoro met his gaze with narrowed, green eyes, and Sanji pressed the point, "Do you really think I can just leave you here alone? Knowing that you'll die?!"   
  
Setting his jaw in a stubborn grimace, Zoro looked away from Sanji's burning gaze, "I'm not human, dumbass. I'm not as weak as you. I'll be fine."   
  
"Bullshit." Sanji nodded at the professor, "I'll go."   
  
The professor gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment, "Then we should make preparations immediately." They picked up the lantern again with their third arm and stood.   
  
Sanji also struggled to his feet, scrubbing the evidence of his watering eyes from his face with his dirty palms. Zoro growled in his throat and reached out for him, "Don't be stupid, Sanji… You can't trust this bastard!"   
  
"I'm not talking about this." Sanji refused to look at the spirit as he followed the professor to the edge of the cliff.   
  
" _I said no_ !" There was a sharp crack of wood and Professor Nico skillfully caught a thick branch aimed like a spear at the back of their head with a new, fourth ghostly hand. Their second set of eyes blinked in their pale, startled face as they observed from over Robin’s shoulder just how close the jagged end had come before they’d caught it.   
  
Sanji spun to face Zoro's fury with a growl, " _How fucking dare you_ …!"   
  
" _Can’t you see I’m trying to fucking save your shitty life?!_ " The hilltop trembled as the spirit raged at them; his eyes burning in the dark with tongues of green flame spilling out and licking at his hairline. They could hear the sacred tree creaking menacingly, and the crack of rocks loosening on the cliffside before tumbling to the ground below.

 

Unafraid of Zoro's temper, Sanji stomped close until he could feel the heat of Zoro's spirit flames on his face. He towered over the spirit's small body, "And I’m going to save _yours_ , you stupid plant!"   
  
"I don't fucking need you to save me…!" Zoro's flames died as he grabbed Sanji's shirt and growled up at him; his childish voice sounding surprisingly gruff and raspy, "Don't go… Don't just fucking run off to some dangerous place and get your stupid ass killed!"   
  
Sanji snarled, "I'm not going to die, and neither are you! I'm going to beat the shit out of this damn… curse or whatever, and then I'm coming home! It isn't just about you; do you think the old man will last on the road in the wasteland? With one damn leg? Nothing you can say will stop me!"   
  
He pulled away from Zoro's grasp and walked back to the professor, "Let's go. I'm not going to waste my time here anymore."   
  
" _I’m going with you_ !"   
  
Sanji froze and chewed at his lip before speaking softly, "Zoro…" He turned and sighed at the sight of Zoro's stubborn expression, his thin arms crossed over his skinny chest, "You know you can't…" The small spirit's eyes darkened and his jaw clenched at Sanji's gentle reminder.   
  
"There might be a way." Professor Nico stepped up to Sanji's side, their glance shifting between the two men, "Is there perhaps an urn in that building?"   
  
Sanji shrugged and the professor raised an expectant eyebrow. He got the hint and took the offered lantern from the professor's ghostly hand, "I'll be right back."   
  
As he jogged toward the door of the old wooden church, Sanji could hear the professor's rich murmur and Zoro's reluctant mumble as the two conversed in the darkness behind him. He wondered why he hadn't noticed it before but this was the first time anyone other than him had been able to see and speak with Zoro. He would have to ask about that later, but right now as he stepped into the dusty sanctuary he had to wonder what the professor had up their multiple sleeves. In all the years that he had known Zoro the spirit had never left the vicinity of his tree. He'd explained to Sanji once that he was bound to the large oak by the sacred blessing that had awakened his essence; basically he was made up of the energies of the tree and whatever ancient powers that had been infused into the stately oak. Zoro couldn't step any further than the spread of his tree's roots in the ground.   
  
The professor's lantern cast deep, eerie shadows in the old abandoned church. Looking up, he could only see the vague shapes of the ceiling rafters. Beside him dangled a thick, rusty chain that disappeared into the blackness of the steeple. Sanji fought the urge to pull the chain, just to see if the bells would still ring after all this time. Instead, he picked his way through the debris of broken pews until he reached the front of the sanctuary.   
  
The old tapestry that depicted the earth spirits still hung in the small shrine that sat behind a stone altar. Once the polished, black stone had been meant to hold the offerings of the faithful, but now it was covered in a thick layer of dirt; untouched by human hands for too many years. Sanji set the lantern on the altar and let his gaze travel curiously over the faded tapestry. The year the rain had stopped Sanji remembered the townsfolk flocking to the shrine. They had all brought gifts and prayed, but the clouds above never moved. Now this shrine was all but forgotten, and Sanji actually felt a little sorry for it. Impulsively he took a precious cigarette out of his pack and laid it on the altar before the shrine. Briefly he clasped his hands in a prayer that they would have good luck on their quest. Out of the corner of his eye he suddenly noticed strange lumps in the dust at the edge of the lantern's light. Curious, he strolled over to toe at one, and he was delighted to find that it was a small, earthenware jar; perfectly intact. There were several more of them lying broken or cracked, but the professor had only asked for one. Coughing as he brushed the dust off the jar and picked it up to cradle it in one arm, Sanji retrieved the lantern and left the church. He didn’t see the lid anywhere, but that probably didn't matter.

 

Zoro and the professor blinked owlishly in the lantern-light as Sanji drew close. Professor Nico had seated themselves on a small boulder that bordered the path to the church while Zoro was stand-offishly lingering close to his tree. Sanji hefted the jar, "I found this?"  
  
The professor nodded and got to their feet, "That should do. Basically my theory is that if we fill that jar with soil from this hill, and then cut a live branch from his tree, then your spirit friend should be able to connect to the branch and move with us."   
  
"Will that work?!" Sanji looked over at Zoro who shrugged.   
  
Handing over the lantern to the professor, Sanji got on his knees and began to scrape up dirt using a flat rock, "I guess we can try…" He glanced up at the spirit with a concerned frown, "Will cutting off a branch hurt you?"   
  
Zoro snorted and crouched beside him, "Not really. I just have to meditate and remove my consciousness from that part of my body and I won't feel a thing."   
  
"Good." Sanji got to his feet with his jar of dirt, "It would be a pain in the ass if you go and faint or some shit."   
  
Rolling his eyes, Zoro sat back into a comfortable, cross-legged position. After a few deep breaths he closed his eyes and nodded, "Anytime you're ready."   
  
Sanji handed off the jar to the professor's waiting hands. Their third hand offered him a stout hunting knife, handle first. "It would be best if you do it. Make sure it's not too big so it’ll fit in the pot, and cut it near to a fork."   
  
"Right…" Sanji reluctantly accepted the knife and placed the handle between his teeth. He glanced over at Zoro before approaching the old oak and leaping up to grab a thick, low branch. Using his strong core muscles, Sanji curled up his hips so he could throw a leg over the branch and use the leverage of his legs to pull himself up. Climbing up to the higher branches brought back a memory from when he was young. He had played freely in these branches; climbing to the very top while a fully grown and healthy Zoro meditated below, and Kuina watched over them both with thoughtful black eyes and a wry smile as she sat cross-legged on a boulder on Zoro’s side of the path where their roots intermingled underground...   
  
Shaking off his nostalgia, Sanji picked out a slim, leafy branch within reach and spat out the knife into his hand, "I'm cutting it now." Down below Zoro grunted in answer. Sanji hesitated a moment more before grasping the branch with one hand and quickly severing the limb with one clean chop. He quickly looked down at Zoro, but the small spirit was unmoved; his small chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths. He didn't seem to be in any pain. Sanji grinned and jumped down, landing nimbly on his feet. "Got it!"   
  
Zoro's eyes opened and he watched silently as Sanji carefully planted the little branch and then took the pot from the professor before handing back their knife. Professor Nico pulled a small, leather flask out from inside their cloak and unscrewed the stopper before pouring a little water around the root of the newly planted branch. Sanji cradled the fresh cutting to keep it upright while watching in silence, and he gently ran a finger along a tender leaf when he was sure it wouldn’t tip, "Now what?"   
  
The professor gripped his shoulders firmly and tugged him back several steps, "You must stay absolutely still. No matter what, or he won't be able to break his bond with the tree."   
  
No matter what? Sanji swallowed and watched with wide eyes as Zoro got to his feet. The small spirit approached slowly, his young features tense and determined… The young chef knew in his bones that something bad was about to happen.

 

Sanji held his breath when Zoro reached the edge his root system. The spirit’s eyes met his and held his gaze as Zoro took a step. To his horror, Sanji saw pain twist Zoro’s expression, and his skinny body swayed like he was fighting to stay conscious... " _Zoro_ !" Sanji struggled but the professor held him in place.   
  
"Shut up, cook! It's the only way!" Zoro snarled and then took another step.   
  
Sanji watched in torment as the spirit's childish features crumpled further into a mask of agony as he took another step away from his home; his fists kept clenching and unclenching like Zoro wasn’t fully in control of the actions of his body. Sanji ground his teeth and begged in a small voice, “Please..!”

 

“It’s almost done.” The professor tightened their hold slightly; their strength was almost soothing and Sanji wasn’t sure if those words were meant for him or Zoro.

 

There were still two more steps, but right now Zoro was frozen in place, his small body shaking. “You’ve already broken the bond. You can’t stop here.” The professor warned sharply.

 

Zoro looked up and glared through his teary eyes, “I fucking _know_ that!”

 

“What will happen if… Oh shit!” Fear for his friend filled Sanji as the spirit's body blinked briefly out of sight before reappearing; only less corporeal and appearing like a thick mist. Was Zoro going to disappear?! For real?! "Just go back! Before it’s too late!"  
  
" _Shut the fuck up_ !" Zoro roared at him and took another step, green fire flickering in his eyes. He took the last step with a sharp cry of pain, and his hand shot out and grabbed the branch in Sanji's pot desperately.   
  
Tears ran down Sanji's cheeks as he stared at the spirit with wide eyes, "You idiot…!"

 

“Did you have to stand so fucking far away...?” Zoro grumbled as he wobbled on his feet.  
  
Sanji assessed him with anxious eyes and it seemed that the spirit had returned to his more usual state... However, when one of Zoro’s knees seemed to buckle and he lost his balance, Sanji looked down and saw dark blood pooling around the spirit's bare feet. "Zoro…!" He yelped in alarm and shifted the pot to one arm to grab his friend as the spirit slumped forward. In the background, Sanji could see the giant oak tree dying. Its sparse leaves fluttering to the ground and pattering softly in the dust as Zoro seemed to slouch into his hold even further.   
  
Sanji dropped to his knees and set the pot down to grab Zoro properly. He looked up at the professor with pleading eyes, "Help him!"   
  
The small spirit shook in his arms as Sanji gathered him close. He was surprised by how slight Zoro felt. His skinny frame actually seemed much smaller than Sanji expected it to be. Looking back down, he realized he wasn't crazy and he could actually _see_ Zoro's body shrinking. "What the fuck?!"   
  
"Calm down…" The professor crouched beside him and put a comforting hand on Sanji's shoulder, "He has to adjust to being connected to a much smaller tree, so this is probably normal. See? His leaves are still healthy."   
  
"Probably normal?!" Sanji gritted his teeth. Right now Zoro was so small that he could cradle him like a small animal, and he was still shrinking quickly. Also worrisome was the blood still flowing from Zoro's wounded ankles and staining Sanji's shirt. "What if it doesn't stop?! Isn't there anything we can do?! And he's still bleeding!"   
  
The professor peeked into his arms curiously, "How are you feeling, Mr. Spirit?"   
  
"What do you expect?!" Zoro snapped and weakly struggled to sit upright in Sanji's palm. The chef's eyes almost bugged out of his head. Zoro was only a little taller than his thumb now. His childish face looked more angry than pained as he curled up and grasped at his sluggishly bleeding ankles. "Everything fucking hurts…"   
  
"Let me see." The professor's voice was low and soothing as they carefully scooped Zoro out of Sanji's bloodied palm with their third hand.   
  
Sanji absently wiped his hands on his ruined shirt, anxiously watching as the professor looked over the spirit’s wounds. The professor looked up at him, their two sets of eyes dark and grave, “We need to go down and get my things. He has no roots, and he won’t stop bleeding unless we find a way to substitute his spiritual grounding to the earth.”

 

Sanji grabbed up the urn with the potted branch and snarled in frustration, “I knew this was a fucking bad idea! Why didn’t you tell him this would happen?!”

 

The professor gently laid Zoro in the pot, and the spirit curled in on himself, his tiny body shivering from pain. Professor Nico ignored Sanji’s angry words and pointed out, “You can’t climb down while holding him. We need to move quickly. I have something in mind, but it will take a little time. The sooner we can start the better it will be for your friend.”

 

Gritting his teeth, Sanji handed over the urn and followed the professor as they strode quickly to the edge of the cliff. Professor Nico had also grabbed up the lantern with their third hand and now held it aloft to light the way down the cliff. Using that fourth ghostly hand to hold Zoro’s urn, the professor was able to descend the sheer rock face quickly. Not even hesitating a second, Sanji was right on their heels as they strode quickly back to the Baratie; his thoughts racing in near panic over Zoro’s current state as the tiny spirit lay shivering at the base of his planted branch.

 

The professor paused outside of the restaurant and turned to Sanji, pressing Zoro’s pot into his hands, “Wait here.”

 

Sanji looked down at Zoro’s curled form. His throat felt tight and painful as he saw how the dirt under the spirit’s feet was stained dark red with blood. Terrified by Zoro’s quiet trembling he whispered hoarsely, trying to rouse him, “Zoro…? Buddy, you okay?” To his utter horror one of the frail, green leaves fell off the end of the branch, shriveling quickly into a dry, brown husk before it landed in the dirt near Zoro’s  body, “ _Shit_. Shit, c’mon Zoro! Tell me you’re okay!”

 

Rolling over with sluggish, uncoordinated movements, Zoro looked up with heavy, unfocused eyes. His words were slurred as he answered, “M’sorry. Can’t make it stop. Still bleeding…” He curled up again and pawed at his bloody legs with shaking fingers, “Sorry. Fuck, it won’t stop…”

 

Sanji’s eyes grew wet as he shifted the urn to one arm so he could rub the spirit’s tiny shoulder reassuringly with his forefinger, “Don’t apologize, dumbass. Shit, we need to get you some fucking bandages. What the fuck is the professor doing?!” The skin of Zoro’s arm was cold and clammy against the pad of his finger, and Sanji decided right then and there that he was fucking done with waiting. He strode into the Baratie’s front entrance and saw the professor digging hurriedly through the contents of their rucksack near the fireplace.

 

Obviously having heard the front door, Zeff hobbled in tiredly from the kitchen - heavily leaning on a wooden cane. Sanji swallowed and stared; Zeff only used the cane when he was extremely tired and in pain. The discussion with the staff must have gone worse than Sanji expected... The older chef approached him slowly with a scowl, “You missed the meeting.”

 

Sanji clutched Zoro’s urn closer to his chest, silently refusing to explain. Zeff’s gaze trailed over the planted branch - pausing a moment to narrow his eyes at where Zoro’s blood had stained Sanji’s shirt. The blond held his breath, anxious about the old man’s reaction to the gory mess. “What is that…? Dirt?” Blinking and refocusing his glare on the shaken blond, Zeff’s tone was sharp and impatient, “We have a lot to do. We need to pack your things and get you supplies so you can go with the others, eggplant.”

 

Shaking his head, Sanji avoided Zeff’s dark look, “I’m not going with them.”

 

“Shitty eggplant…” Zeff slammed the end of his cane down, “You are _not_ staying here!”

 

Professor Nico strode over and urgently grabbed Sanji’s arm, “We don’t have time for this.”

 

Sanji let the professor lead him back outside, and Zeff shouted after them, “ _You’re fucking leaving in the morning even if I have to hogtie your ass up and let them drag you behind a cart_!”

 

The professor pulled him over closer to the well. The lack of guards suddenly hit Sanji hard when he realized what that meant. Everyone was leaving, and he was about to lose everything… He could only desperately hope that the professor could make things right, and that they could break this damned curse.

 

“I need you to put the urn down over here.” The professor tugged on Sanji’s arm, bringing his mind back to the current problem as they pointed to a spot on the ground. Professor Nico set aside a long feather and a length of red cord. However they kept one ceremonial tool in hand; a polished, hollow bone embellished with strange, black runes. The professor nodded in approval when Sanji carefully set down Zoro’s pot. The wounded spirit groaned softly, but didn’t move from his curled position. The professor gestured to the urn with the hollow bone, “Now I need you to sit in front of him. Close, but don’t touch his urn. He needs a pure connection to the earth to strengthen his magic and to help the ritual work.”

 

Settling cross-legged on the ground, Sanji didn’t give a shit about getting his clothes dirty. His attention remained fixed on Zoro’s pained expression; his eyes squeezed shut as the tree spirit panted rapidly. The professor began to draw a complicated, circular design in the dirt around the two of them with one end of the ceremonial bone - mumbling under their breath in an unfamiliar language as they worked.

 

Sanji heard Zeff’s uneven stride behind him as the old man came outside and approached the well. He didn’t have to turn and look to know that Zeff was still pissed, “What the hell is this?!” The older chef snapped, “We don’t have time for you to play around with fucking magic!”

 

The professor ignored Zeff’s outburst and completed the drawing before tucking the bone into their belt, “The drawing acts like a guide for your energies. And this…” Professor Nico held up a large, black feather decorated with painted green runes similar to the ones on the bone, “This will anchor your energies to each other and allow your soul to become his roots.”

 

Sanji watched the professor pull a slim knife from their boot and slice the feather in half down the center of the quill on the stones surrounding the well. Zeff shifted restlessly, “Sanji…”

 

“If you don’t let me do this, Zoro will die.” Sanji knew the old man believed in his ability to see things that no one else could. He knew about Zoro, and even though he’d never seen the spirit himself, Zeff understood that the spirit was Sanji’s closest friend.

 

Zeff sighed and muttered, “Don’t think that we’re done talking about you leaving tomorrow, dumbass eggplant.”

 

Sanji grinned, “Wouldn’t dream of it, shitty geezer.”

 

“Almost done.” Professor Nico pulled a needle and a spool of black thread from a pocket inside their cloak. They skillfully threaded the needle and sewed one half of the feather to a thick, red cord before easily cutting the material and stepping closer to Sanji without treading on the lines drawn in the sand, “Please hold out your hand for me.” Sanji obediently stretched out his left arm and watched as the professor tied the red cord snugly around his wrist; wrapping the long ends around a couple of times before securing it with a tight knot. The end sewed to the feather dangled loosely below where the cord was tied, and the green runes seemed to flash as the feather twisted lazily back and forth. The professor gave him a small, apologetic smile, “This might hurt a little. I am sorry.”

 

“I’ll be okay…” Sanji murmured as he laid his hand carefully back in his lap.

 

The professor gave him a quick nod before returning to pick up the second half of the feather and sewing it to the end of the remaining cord. Sanji watched as professor Nico crouched and leaned over the sand drawing to tie the red cord around the base of Zoro’s branch with careful movements. They sat back on their heels and examined Sanji’s expression with dark, clever eyes, “Are you ready, Mr. Corbeau?”

 

Sanji glanced over his shoulder at Zeff, seeing how the older chef’s face was lined heavily in concern. However his mind was made up. If it would save Zoro he was even willing to lose his hand. Gritting his teeth, he nodded at the professor.

 

Standing up smoothly, the professor retrieved the ceremonial bone from their belt. Murmuring strange, foreign words they walked around the perimeter of the sand drawing four times. Sanji watched somewhat nervously; his eyes growing wide when the runes painted on the two halves of the black feather noticeably began to glow with a soft green light. The professor stopped and faced the center of the circle before putting the hollow bone to their lips and releasing a long breath. Green smoke billowed out of the end of the bone; surrounding Sanji and Zoro within the circle and growing thicker as the professor continued to blow through the bone without pause. The green smoke blocked out everything but Zoro’s pot right in front of Sanji, and the glow of the runes on both of their halves of the feather.

 

Sanji remained perfectly still, even when he felt the smoke brush through his hair like fingers. The ghostly touch trailed down his arm to where the cord was tied around his left wrist, and Sanji cried out when a sudden, burning pain seared his arm. Looking at his wrist, he was horrified to see the feather and red cord consumed by small, greenish flames. His head jerked up at Zoro’s shrill scream, and saw the spirit writhing in agony as green fire flickered around his tree-branch. Sanji gritted his teeth against the pain; the fingers of his right hand twitching. He was just about to reach out to his friend when one long tongue of fire flickered and stretched out from his wrist; crossing the gap to where another flame met it from the cord tied around Zoro’s branch. As soon as the two fires touched the burning pain ceased and the thick, green smoke faded. Sanji held up his wrist, watching how the charred remains of the red cord fell away to reveal black runes burned into his wrist in a perfect circle.

 

“How are you feeling, Mr. Spirit?”

 

Sanji looked up quickly; anxious to see if Zoro was okay. The spirit was sitting up, grumpily wiping tears from his eyes before rubbing his ankles, “Fucking hell, did you really have to set me on fire?!”

 

Rolling his eyes, Sanji crawled forward and impatiently pushed Zoro’s tiny hands away from his ankles with his fingers, “Shut up and let me see…”

 

Zoro flailed a little and squawked indignantly as Sanji lightly pinched one of his legs to stretch it out so he could see the wounded area better. The bleeding cuts had sealed, and a band of runes circled each ankle to match the runes on Sanji’s wrist. The blond let out a relieved sigh, “Thank fuck.”

 

“Let me go!” Zoro snarled before grabbing one of Sanji’s fingers with small hands and viciously biting him right near the nailbed.

 

“ _Ow_!” Sanji jerked back and frantically flapped his hand to relieve the sting as he glared at his shitty friend, “You fucking bit me?!”

 

Zoro sneered and flipped him off, “You fucking taste like shit, and I’m okay, alright?!”

 

Scowling, Sanji rubbed his sore finger, “Fucker…”

 

From behind them Zeff cleared his throat, “Eggplant… Is that… A very tiny boy?”

 

Sanji met the head chef’s narrowed eyes in shock, “You can see him?!”

 

Zeff nodded. His eyes wide as he stared at Zoro before catching sight of Sanji’s bloody shirt, “Are you bleeding?!”

 

“This isn’t mine, shitty geezer!” Sanji rolled his eyes.

 

Muttering, Zeff rubbed his forehead wearily, “Thought it was dirt… What the hell is going on today…?”

 

Sanji snorted. The old man didn’t know the half of it. The professor crouched down beside them with a smile, “Of course he can see him. Your souls are linked, and that has made him just a little human. You will change somewhat too.”

 

Blinking, Sanji felt panic bubble up in his chest as he stared at the professor, “What the hell does that mean?! Is my hair gonna turn fucking green?!”

 

Zoro laughed as professor Nico’s dark eyes sparkled with mirth, “Perhaps, but I think it’s more likely that the abilities granted to you through your mark will fully manifest.”

 

Zeff had made his way to the well and was leaning on the wall, staring warily at Zoro, “Fucking hell, Sanji…”

 

Taking a deep breath, Sanji stood up and fumbled to retrieve a cigarette. He needed a damn smoke right now or he was going to murder this shitty, smug professor. He took his time lighting up and drawing in a few deep breaths, watching as Zoro curiously circled in his pot. The tiny spirit hesitated a moment before sitting on the edge and jumping to the ground. He laughed in delight and waved his arms up at Sanji, “Look! I can go with you now!”

 

“You are still bound to your tree, Mr. Spirit.” Professor Nico rested their elbow on one knee and cupped their chin in one hand, “And it’s true that you can move more freely now, but you will feel weaker the further you are from Mr. Corbeau and your new tree.”

 

“Seems like I’m stuck with your ass then…” Sanji blew out a long stream of smoke and grinned at the tiny spirit’s scowl, “No choice but to roll your damn pot along the road!”

 

Zoro blinked out of sight before reappearing at the base of his new tree, glaring up at Sanji, “Like hell you will!”

 

Sanji laughed and crouched down to be closer to eye level with his friend, “I’m glad you didn’t bleed to death.” He flicked his spent cigarette into Zoro’s pot, smirking when the spirit cursed and stomped at the smoldering cherry. The blond’s expression softened into a fond smile as Sanji listened to the spirit rant at him; waiting until Zoro had taken out his anger on the discarded smoke before murmuring, “I thought I was going to lose you, idiot. Don’t you dare fucking pull that shit again.”

 

Zoro dragged the crumpled cigarette to the edge of his pot and flung it at Sanji’s left shoe; narrowing his green eyes and drawing himself up to his full three inch height before answering, “I don’t need you to protect me, curly. I knew what I was doing, and if I died then that would be because I wasn’t strong enough. But I didn’t die, and we are going to break this curse together.”

 

“Well said, Mr. Spirit.” Professor Nico stood and dusted themselves off before turning to the old head chef, “I have something to ask of you, sir. We need adequate supplies for all three of us to reach the northern mountains.”

 

Zeff’s eyebrows shot up briefly in surprise before settling into a dark scowl. He glared at Sanji, “What the hell does that mean, eggplant?!”

 

Pushing up off his knees, Sanji stood with a soft grunt. He brushed some of the ever-present dust off his clothes before setting his jaw and meeting Zeff’s stormy gaze, “It means that I’m going north with the professor.”

 

“Like fuck you are!” Zeff snapped as he thumped his cane on the ground for emphasis, “I will not allow..!”

 

“This isn’t your decision, old man!” Sanji interrupted sharply, “Someone has to do something or else we’re all as good as dead anyway! It won’t fucking matter how far south we run!”

 

Zeff’s mustache was twitching in fury, his face quickly growing red as he took a threatening step toward the younger blond, “If you fucking run off into the wasteland on a wild goose chase _you_ _will be_ dead! Do you even have a fucking plan?” He turned to the professor with a wild-eyed look, “You put this shitty idea in his head, didn’t you?”

 

Sanji stomped into the older chef’s space, snarling in his face when Zeff turned to meet his fury, “Don’t you dare bring anyone else into this! You seem to have this fucking stupid impression that you have some sort of right to make my choices for me!”

 

“Well apparently I need to because you are obviously too incompetent to not get your dumb ass killed!”

 

“Oh yeah? Well what about you?” Sanji sneered, “You were gonna try and make me run off to the south and live happily ever after while you wait here to die! We both know you can’t fucking make that trip with your shitty, wooden foot!”

 

Zeff snorted, “Of course I can’t. That’s why Patty and Carne are staying behind to fix up that old pedal cart in the shed. We are going to join you as soon as it’s up and running.”

 

Even though he was still angry, Sanji felt relieved that the old man hadn’t decided to give up and die after all. However, Zeff still didn’t understand. This cursed drought wasn’t ending until someone went and solved the issue. No doubt the professor could figure out this mess, but they were more likely to succeed if there was someone like Sanji there to lend a hand - right now he didn’t exactly see a bevy of volunteers lining up for a chance to help save the world.

 

“Old man, I’m not changing my mind…”

 

“Sanji!”

 

Holding up his hand to curtail Zeff’s angry rant, Sanji continued, “I’m not asking for your fucking approval! The three of us are going north tomorrow, with or without your shitty supplies!”

 

“ _I won’t allow this!_ ” Zeff roared furiously and swung his cane viciously at Sanji - barely missing his head as he dodged. “ _I will fucking tie your stubborn ass to the cart if I have to! I’m not letting you go off to die, and you sure as fuck won’t be getting a single scrap of food from me to help you do it!_ ”

 

Sanji spun away from another attempted blow from Zeff’s cane, and he used his momentum to turn and kick out at the old chef’s wooden leg. However, Zeff was a wily old fucker, and he’d already blocked Sanji’s hit by slamming the side of his cane against the blond’s shin while he kicked out with his good leg. Sanji leapt away just in time to avoid the hit to his gut, and he shook out his sore leg with a growl, “You’re not _letting_ me do anything!” Bending to scoop up Zoro’s pot, he took a few steps well out of the old man’s range, “We don’t need your shitty supplies! I’m fucking doing this, and you can go and shove your shitty opinions up your ass!” Turning on his heel, Sanji stomped off before Zeff could continue the fight.

 

“ _Shitty brat...!_ ”

 

He didn’t look back. Even when the old man’s voice cracked as he called out after him again, “ _Sanji, you idiot!_ ”

 

He stormed into the small house that he shared with Zeff - the professor politely waiting outside. Sanji slammed the door shut behind himself in a fit of temper before marching into his room. He set Zoro’s earthenware pot carefully on his desk under the window before going to fling open his storage trunk and rummaging through it for some sort of pack to carry his things inside.

 

Zoro was watching him quietly as he sat cross-legged at the base of his new tree. The blond avoided looking at him - attempting to hide the angry tears welling up in his eyes as he threw an old, canvas flour sack onto his bed before starting to pile some heavier, wool shirts and sturdy work-pants beside it. The small spirit finally spoke up when he furiously started shoving balled-up clothing into the sack, “You know he’s just worried about you…”

 

Sanji glared at him with wet eyes, “He fucking doesn’t know _shit_ . I’m not a little kid anymore, Zoro, and I can _do_ something about all of this! I can help!”

 

The tree spirit fell silent for a long moment before murmuring, “Do you really think we can trust that professor...?”

 

Pausing in his hunt for more socks, Sanji shrugged, “Why the hell else would someone want to hike up into the wastes? I mean, we should still watch our backs, but I think they really want to do the right thing here.”

 

Zoro nodded slowly, but didn’t comment any further as he watched Sanji slip into a pair of worn boots. The blond used some old shoelace to tie his flour sack shut and slung it over his shoulder before scooping up Zoro’s pot in his free arm. Zeff was still not home when he left his room, and Sanji imagined that the old man was probably off drinking with Carne and cursing his name…

 

Setting his sackful of belongings down near the door, Sanji took one last look around his childhood home. His gaze lingered on the small collection of cookbooks on the shelf near the fireplace, and the homey kitchen where he’d first learned how to crack an egg… There was an aching lump of emotion in his throat as he realized that he was leaving this place for good.

 

“Shitty pancake-flipper…” Zoro materialized on Sanji’s shoulder and lightly pinched his earlobe, “You’re gonna grow mold if you keep standing here.” His teasing tone softened as he lightly patted the rim of the blond’s ear, “We should go.”

 

“Right.” Sanji opened the front door, picked up his shitty flour sack, and left without a second glance.

 

“Mr. Corbeau…” The professor greeted him outside, “I am glad that you’re joining me, but we need supplies. Do you have any solutions?”

 

Sanji grinned toothily, “I _am_ the sous chef in this miserable place. Of course I have the keys to all the Baratie’s stores.”

 

The professor returned his smile with a sly twinkle in their dark eyes, “Well then lead on, Mr. Sous Chef.”

 

First they stashed their belongings in an abandoned shed on the edge of town, and Zoro got pissed when Sanji told him that he was leaving him there too, “Am I supposed to just sit on my ass until you get back?!”

 

Sanji rolled his eyes, “Yes. You are useless, and I might fucking step on your tiny ass by accident. Plus there’s no way in hell I’m dragging your damn tree around, mossy-idiot!”

 

The professor interrupted, “We really need to act quickly as I’m sure the Head Chef will figure out our intentions. Zoro can leave his tree here, but he’ll just feel very weak and most likely will be unable to use many of his abilities.” The professor gave a slight smile, “However, I do believe we could use the services of a lookout.”

 

“Fine.” Sanji grumbled - ignoring the tree spirit’s insufferably smug expression as he perched himself on Sanji’s shoulder.

 

They all made their way through the narrow alleys of the town; using the old, empty buildings as cover to let them approach the restaurant unseen. There was a side-door at the end of the hall where the washrooms used to be. They had blocked off that area and dismantled the pumps not long after most of the town’s population packed up and left to flee south, and so no one ever went into that part of the building. It took Sanji a few guesses to find the right key, but soon they were creeping as quietly as possible over the old, wooden floor toward the kitchen.

 

Sanji was annoyed, but not entirely surprised, to find Patty and Carne standing guard in front of the entrance to the cellar inside the kitchen. He knew he could take each of them in a fight, and he had the professor to back him up. Sanji shoved his hands into his pockets with false-casualty as he smirked at the pair of burly cooks, “The watch going well?”

 

“Chef Zeff told us he fired your ass, Sanji.” Carne’s stubbled lip was twisted in a sneer, “You don’t fucking belong in here anymore.”

 

Tapping one foot threateningly, Sanji’s grin widened, “Well I’m just here to pick up my severance pay, bastards, and I suggest that you don’t get in my way.”

 

Patty crossed his beefy arms, looming tall over everyone, “Your ‘pay’ is out the fucking backdoor.”

 

Beside him, the professor pushed back the open sides of their long coat to settle their hands on their hips; revealing a pair of pistols gleaming in their holsters as a clear warning, “Now, gentlemen, there doesn’t need to be any trouble.”

 

Quirking an eyebrow, Patty snorted, “You bastards are going to end up as dog food for sure. Now you better get the fuck out and collect your ‘pay’ before the Head Chef changes his mind. There _will_ be trouble if he comes back and sees your shitty faces, and I did not carry all that shit up those goddamn, shitty stairs just for you to get killed by the old man!”

 

Sanji blinked in confusion. “Did you hit your goddamn head again?”

 

Carne’s craggy features relaxed slightly into a grin, “Don’t thank us, dish-fucker.”

 

Patty shooed them back with a wave and a smirk, “Get the fuck out. The customers are as sick as I am of your shitty excuse for cooking!”

 

Sanji was grinning so wide it hurt. He was going to miss these bastards... Going out the back door, he saw a sturdy, wooden sled piled generously with waterskins, crates of bread, dried meat and cheese, medical supplies, and even a pile of heavy fur coats and blankets. His gaze caught on a note pinned to the sleeve of one of the coats. Sanji pulled it loose and instantly recognized Zeff’s spidery handwriting...

 

_‘Shitty son, the Baratie is setting up a new location on Sabaody. You’re fired. Take care of your pet green cockroach, and remind that professor that I know several ways to serve human flesh.’_

 

Reading from his spot on Sanji’s shoulder, Zoro made an affronted sound in his throat, “I am _not_ a damn cockroach!”

 

Chuckling, Sanji crumpled up the note and tossed it aside. The old man would never change. Picking up the long, leather straps attached to the front of the sled, Sanji slipped the loops at the ends over his shoulders and smiled brightly at the professor, “Let’s get the hell out of this fucking town!”

 

* * *

 

[Art](http://dressrouba.tumblr.com/post/143190804959/my-piece-for-the-opbigbang-i-was-hoping-to-get) by Dressrouba


	2. Chapter 2

After long, arduous days of nearly continuous travel, they all finally reached the foothills of the northern mountains. While the little group of travelers were grateful for the well-laden supply sled, it was proving a difficult burden to move up the steep bluff ahead of them. Professor Nico was pulling from the front; leaning heavily into the sled-harness as they avoided loose rocks and sand. Stripped down to his sweat-stained undershirt, Sanji was pushing from behind. The sled runners often caught on rocks or loose dirt, halting progress as Sanji and the professor had to manhandle the unwieldy baggage back onto more passable ground.

 

Exhausted and thirsty as hell from self-imposed strict water rationing, Sanji’s mood was darker than the shitty, rainless clouds overhead. Earlier he’d snapped at Zoro and told the little tree spirit to fuck off when the tiny fucker had insisted on perching his ass on the lip of his earthenware pot where it had been secured on the back of the sled, and ‘helpfully’ pointing out every rock and patch of sand that might trip Sanji up. Now the tree-bastard was giving him the cold shoulder, telling Robin what he remembered of the history of his shrine and Sanji’s hometown as he sat on their shoulder.

 

Over the last few days it seemed that the professor had warmed up to the two of them. Whenever they stopped to rest and eat the three of them took turns telling each other stories. Professor Nico’s past was even more colorful than Zeff’s, and Sanji loved hearing their tales of secret temples in the jungle, political corruption, and magic. Zoro had become more comfortable with Robin after they revealed that their own hometown had burned down in a massive fire. They didn’t tell many of the details, but Sanji recognized the grief they didn’t share. With each new story, Sanji learned more about who Robin was, and he had come to respect and admire their cleverness, strength and passion for the truth.

 

However, at the moment Sanji found himself irrationally peeved at the relaxed conversation between his traveling companions. He was just about to throw an insult out at Zoro to goad him into a fight and release some of his own stress, when Robin stopped sharply and held up a hand to silence Zoro’s monologue about traditional dances at shrine festivals. Sanji stood and stretched his aching back - squinting around at the desolate hillside. “What is it?”

 

The professor shushed him tensely with a finger to their lips and pointed out what had caught their attention not that far up the road. Their coats were almost indistinguishable from the cracked, dusty earth, but Sanji could make out the forms of a large pack of canines. He felt a chill run down his spine as they all watched the pack feeding on some unidentifiable carcass.

 

Silently, the professor slipped the sled straps off their shoulders, and Sanji curled his fingers around the handle of the knife in his belt. He’d heard horror stories from travelers of the ravenous packs that roamed the wild. Starving and desperate, they attacked any man or animal that crossed their paths. They were even known to eat each other if the opportunity arose. Feral dogs were ravenous beasts that survived on killing and blood, and Sanji really, really didn’t want to have to fight off a pack with this many hungry, man-eating animals.

 

Zoro shifted on the professor’s shoulder and muttered, “Shit. They’ve scented us.”

 

Sure enough, a few of the beasts had turned their way; heads up and sniffing at the air. Robin pulled out one of their single-shot pistols from inside their coat and hissed, “ _Get ready!_ ”

 

Sanji unsheathed his own weapon as a few of the pack peeled off from the group and came charging for them - their claws kicking up a thick cloud of dust, and their fang-filled maws wide and snarling. They went for Robin first. The professor coldly shot the closest beast in the head; dropping it dead on the spot before kicking the second animal in the ribs with their pointed boots. Sanji spun to face one of the smaller dogs as it circled in on them from the right. It’s yellow eyes burned brightly with bloodlust as it stared Sanji down; its low, constant growling twisting its scarred features.

 

“ _Sanji!_ ” Zoro’s tone was urgent, “ _Behind you!_ ”

 

Glancing quickly over his shoulder, Sanji spotted a large beast stalking him from around the supply sled. Trying to back closer to Robin while keep the circling dogs in sight. The professor was reloading and firing their pistol with impressive speed as they fended off multiple animals. He gritted his teeth when he heard yelps and snarling filled the air as the rest of the pack began to take an interest in the conflict. If they tried to flee the dogs would either hunt them down, or devour all their supplies - both choices would end badly. They had to drive them off, and do it quickly before one of them got hurt.

 

The smaller dog lunged and snapped at Sanji’s side when he spared a moment to look over to Robin. Reacting quickly, Sanji kicked the fucker in the snout, breaking several of its teeth before it fled in pain. In the span of this short confrontation, Sanji lost sight of the other dog. The wily beast was quick to take advantage of the opening, and it attacked the blond’s leg without hesitation.

 

Sanji stumbled back, shouting in alarm when the beast’s jaws closed around the top of his boot. There was incredible pressure and pain as fangs pierced leather, and Sanji tried to yank away instinctively but the beast’s grip could not be shaken. Thrusting his weapon in as hard as he could with both hands, Sanji buried his knife in the feral dog’s ear. It’s eyes rolled up into it head, and Sanji was able to kick off the slack hold of its jaws as the beast twitched at his feet in its death throes. Bending, Sanji retrieved his knife with a strong yank and steeled himself to face more of the pack that was charging right for him. He turned to keep his injured leg back, and kept his eyes on the big, black dog out in front of the oncoming pack.

 

Suddenly Zoro appeared, standing on the ground between the dogs and Sanji. The tree spirit’s eyes were spitting fiery emerald sparks angrily as he stood his ground. There was a moment where Sanji felt like the air around him was growing heavy - sinking toward the furious tree spirit like sand through a funnel. He gasped for breath under the overwhelming pressure drawing him in toward Zoro; watching as long tongues of green fire sprouted from around the spirit’s ankles before Zoro commanded in a deep, chilling growl, “ _Enough! Don’t touch him!_ ”

 

Magical energy rippled out through the air like a shockwave; green fire racing over the bare earth from Zoro’s feet leaving a brilliantly glowing line in the dirt. The entire pack flinched back from the flames; yelping in fear and confusion. However, they were still unwilling to flee just yet. They hung back just a little way from the dying fire - circling with calculating, hungry eyes. Zoro snarled at them, his eyes glowing blindingly with fury, and his hair blazing to life with tongues of green fire, “ _I said - fucking back off!_ ”

 

The pack retreated, tucking their tails in and darting away in all directions, but not before a braver few ducked in to drag off the carcass of their fallen packmates. Professor Nico touched Sanji’s shoulder; their hands were coated with dying blood, “Are you injured?”

 

Putting his weight cautiously on his bitten leg, Sanji was surprised to find that it didn’t hurt at all. He pulled up his pantleg to get a better look, and found small, pink scars where the wounds should have been. A single flicker of green fire ran over his skin near the healing injury before vanishing. Sanji grinned up at the professor, “I’m fine. See?”

 

Robin smiled, “Well then we should move on before night falls and the pack returns.” They thought a moment before adding, “And I’ll be teaching you how to load and shoot a gun properly.”

 

Sanji found himself actually excited over the idea, “I would like that. Thank you.”

 

The professor nodded before going back to the front of the sled. They resumed moving the supplies up the hill toward the mountain just ahead, and Sanji watched as Zoro settled himself back on the edge of his pot; watching with a serious expression on his tiny face as Sanji pushed the sled over yet another rock in their way. The blond offered Zoro a genuine smile, “Thanks.”

 

Huffing, Zoro crossed his arms and looked away, “Next time try not to shove your damn leg in the predator’s mouth…!”

 

“Fuck you, mutant acorn!” Flipping him off, Sanji rolled his eyes and put his back into shoving the sled out of a soft patch of dirt. It wasn’t long before the two of them were back to their usual bickering. However, this time Sanji was arguing with a light heart and the reassurance that his best friend always had his back.

 

They started up the mountain the next day, and here the air was sharp with cold; causing everyone to dress more warmly than before. Sanji’s breath hung like mist in the cool, mountain air as he threw his weight into dragging the supply sled up the treacherous slope. The rocky soil underfoot was hard with permafrost - loose stones sliding over the unyielding surface and increasing the risk of falls or rockslides with each step. Following the professor closely, Sanji tugged at the harness straps looped over his shoulders in an attempt to ease the ache caused by the weight of the sled. There was a sleepy mumble of protest as Sanji fussed with the material of his coat next so there was more material padding his skin under the harness. He could feel Zoro shift inside his warm haven where he'd hidden himself in the interior pocket of Sanji's heavy, fur outerwear, and he gave up trying settle the too-large parka better across his chest before the tiny bastard woke up and got pissy.

 

The spirit had crawled in there sometime last night to escape the biting mountain frost, and now he was blatantly refusing to come out. Sanji had carefully wrapped the tiny fucker’s tree using an extra wool shirt when the nights had started growing colder than normal; so he knew the bastard wasn’t actually in any danger of freezing to death. However he didn't call Zoro out on being a giant faker and a useless pile of moldy leaves - even though the little shit totally was. Zoro had been finding creative ways to get revenge lately, and he didn't want to be viciously pinched again. The fucker had left bruises all down his arm the other day...

 

Ignoring the lazy-ass spirit who obviously just wanted to nap inside his warm coat - Sanji concentrated on navigating the sled over the strange, dangerous landscape. All around them jagged spikes of ice rose starkly from the bare ground - varying in size from thin needles that snapped under their boots, to giant pillars thicker than a man's body. Without snow covering the barren ground, the frozen formations reminded Sanji of white chess-pieces arranged on a vast board; and it required nearly as much strategic thinking to keep the supplies from getting caught or damaged by a sharp, ice spire.

 

The air was thin at this elevation, and Sanji was panting to catch his breath as he quickened his   pace to fall into step at Robin’s side, “Are you sure we’re looking in the right place?”

 

The professor paused and checked the compass hanging on the strap around their neck before pointing out a rocky outcrop ahead, “We’ll have a better idea when we get up there, but according to the testimonies and the maps I’ve collected we are close to the tunnel.”

 

Zoro stirred inside Sanji’s coat, making him squirm as the tiny spirit left his hidden pocket to crawl up the front of the blond’s shirt. Sanji barely resisted the urge to smack at Zoro the way he would at vermin in his kitchen when the tree spirit poked his head up out of the collar like an annoying, green mouse. Zoro blinked sleepily and yawned, “Did you get us lost, stupid cook?”

 

Sanji sputtered incredulously; astounded over the sheer bullshit inflicted on him by a damn, poorly-trimmed bonsai who had never left his shitty hill before in his life... But before he could retaliate properly with a scathing insult, Zoro spoke up again - addressing the professor and ignoring Sanji’s rightful ire like the boorish fuck he was… “You said you think that cave is close? If I form a connection to the earth here I bet I can find it. Save us the trouble of going in fucking circles like blondie’s eyebrows.”

 

“Fucker… Your mossy ass hasn’t walked a single step! And why the fuck didn’t you say you could magically ‘find’ shit sooner?! I should fucking replant you in a goddamn outhouse so I don’t have to put up with your shit anymore!” Sanji grumbled as he moved to slide the sled straps off his aching shoulders.

 

Professor Nico helpfully untied Zoro’s potted tree from its place on the sled as they remarked, “I may have something that can help strengthen your connection here temporarily, but I imagine that with the both of you weary from this climb you won’t be able to do this for long.”

 

Responding with a thoughtful hum, Zoro vanished - his form dissolving into thin air like steam - and reappeared on Sanji’s shoulder. The fucker gave the hair behind his ear a painful yank, chuckling when Sanji yelped and tried to swat him. The tree spirit disappeared again, and Sanji spun on his heel, clenching his fists angrily. The tiny bastard was standing in his pot beside his tree, and there was a smug gleam in his beady eyes as he let a few blond hairs fall from his fist, “Well as long as the curly-wonder doesn’t faint we should be able to get the job done.”

 

Infuriated, Sanji hissed graphic threats and curses at the smirking spirit as Robin chuckled at them while digging around in their baggage. Sanji had just finished informing an uncaring Zoro that he would make it a personal goal to turn him into a chopped salad with a nice vinaigrette on the side when the professor politely interrupted his rant, “Mr. Corbeau, would you please seat yourself comfortably and place both your hands on the ground?”

 

Professor Nico crouched in front of him as Sanji settled himself cross-legged on the partially-frozen earth. “Make sure both palms are flat so you have a proper connection…” They extended a hand toward him with a smooth, black stone held between their forefinger and thumb, “Open your mouth please?”

 

Only hesitating a moment, Sanji obeyed; holding perfectly still as Robin placed the stone between his parted lips on the flat of his tongue. It felt strange and heavy, but the cool, polished surface of the rock wasn’t unpleasant at all. It was clean, and didn’t taste like much either. Withdrawing their fingers, the professor nodded in approval, “You can close your mouth. Now just hold that on top of your tongue and stay very still. You may feel strange when I begin, but it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”

 

Sanji shut his mouth and blinked; not daring to even nod to show he understood. The professor turned to Zoro next. Moving the spirit’s potted tree so it was placed just in front of where Sanji was sitting, professor Nico addressed Zoro, “Would you please seat yourself facing Mr. Corbeau?” Zoro’s expression was openly curious as he complied - imitating Sanji’s posture as he watched the professor carefully.

 

“You may want to close your eyes for a moment, and do please hold still.” Robin instructed the tree spirit solemnly before crouching beside the two of them. They murmured something in a language that Sanji didn’t recognize before scraping up a small amount of the mountain’s dirt into the palm of one hand. Sanji’s eyes grew wide as he watched the professor pour the dirt over Zoro’s head and shoulders. He barely managed to stifle a laugh as the weight of the stone in his mouth reminded him of Robin’s instructions not to move. Zoro’s eyes flew open as dirt trickled from his hair into his lap. He glared at Sanji and the professor in turn, but didn’t say a word - his hands clenched into tiny fists in his lap.

 

Robin nodded in approval and drew in a slow breath. Sanji followed along, momentarily ceasing to breathe as well when the professor became perfectly still; their eyes shut with an expression of focus. After a long moment, Robin began to speak; their voice rich and deep as they chanted strange words. The steady flow of unfamiliar syllables soothed the tension in Sanji’s muscles. He soon found himself unconsciously slumping forward just a little and leaning more heavily on his hands as a deep sense of peace settled over him like a soft blanket.

 

The runes around his wrist connecting him to Zoro began to tingle warmly, but he didn’t feel any anxiety about it - Robin had said he wouldn’t be hurt, and after all that they had been through he trusted the professor’s word. He took a deep breath in through his nose and the taste of the stone in his mouth suddenly changed. The clean sensation of ‘cold’ filled his senses like the crispness of fresh mint, or the pure snowflakes he used to catch on his tongue as a child.

 

He could feel the steady thump of his own pulse as Robin’s voice faded from his awareness. The warmth of the runes around his wrist grew more intense - but not painful - and with his next blink the bleak landscape around him suddenly changed. All around him the mountainside now sparkled with fresh snow. Small flakes hovered in the air, shining like powdered sugar, and clusters of tiny yellow flowers peeked up through the blanket of white. Above him the clouds were the color of fresh cream; their soft white blending seamlessly into the snowy landscape at the edges of his vision.

 

Standing in front of him with his back turned, Zoro was looking up at the snowy slope ahead. Sanji’s breath caught in excitement - the spirit looked like he used to back before the drought… Honestly it had been so long since Sanji had seen him this way that he had nearly forgotten what the spirit really looked like. Gone was the appearance of a scrawny child, and instead Zoro was tall, healthy and strong. The blond felt happiness for his friend surge in his chest, and he smiled broadly when Zoro turned and met his gaze. The tree spirit returned Sanji’s smile with a slight grin of his own; his green eyes bright as he asked eagerly, “Can you feel it? The mountain?”

 

Sanji frowned a little in confusion and glanced around him again. How the hell was he supposed to feel a mountain? He was sitting on it, sure; but he was reasonably certain that Zoro wasn’t asking about the connection between his ass and the ground…

 

Taking a deep breath Sanji closed his eyes and concentrated. He took in the sharp cold of the snow under his palms, and how his hands had sunken down into the soft give of the fresh snowbank. He could feel the rougher texture of small rocks beneath his touch where his weight had compacted the snow, and as he focused on the immediate sensations of snow and dirt on his hands he began to notice a gentle vibration humming against his fingers.

 

The instant he became fully aware of it, the feeling expanded rapidly until Sanji realized he could feel each and every rock on the mountainside around him shifting. The rhythmic swell and settle as one rock slipped a fraction and then the rocks surrounding it moved to fill in the new spaces had the earth beneath him constantly in motion - it felt like the mountain was breathing.

 

His eyes flew open and he looked up at Zoro with awe, “It’s… It feels so _alive_!”

 

Nodding, Zoro gave him a rare, wide smile; amused dimples flashing in his cheeks as his eyes crinkled happily, “Good job, curly. Now come on. We have to find that cave.”

 

“Uh…” Sanji looked around uncertainly. Robin had told him to stay still, and he couldn’t help feeling concerned that moving would fuck everything up…

 

Zoro rolled his eyes, “You are as dumb as you look, aren’t you? It’s not like that here. We can move as we like, but nothing will actually change. We have to hurry, idiot, so get your curly ass up!”

 

Sanji scowled as he uncrossed his legs and clambered to his feet. He was startled to find himself eye-level with Zoro until he realized that the last time he’d seen the spirit like this he’d been a kid… Brushing dirt and snow off his hands, he suddenly noticed that he had changed too. He was no longer bundled up with his musty, old fur coat and multiple layers of clothes. Instead he was dressed in the sharp, black suit that he used to wear back at the Baratie on special occasions. His fingers trailed over the gold buttons of the jacket as he remembered his mixed feelings when Zeff had given him the suit for his birthday almost two years ago. The old man had never admitted just how much he’d traded away to that traveling tailor… He hadn’t brought these clothes with him though. They were locked away in a trunk in his old room, so how was he wearing them now?

 

“Your soul will appear as your most powerful memory of yourself.” Zoro explained his unspoken questions with a shrug, “It’s something about how it takes less energy than showing yourself like you really are. You probably don’t realize it, but you don’t have any extra memories in this state.”

 

Blinking in surprise, Sanji tried to figure out what the hell the shitty, talking tree was talking about, “Extra memories...?”

 

“Don’t sprain a curl trying to think now. We need to start looking before the connection fades, idiot-cook. I’ll explain later!” Zoro impatiently grabbed Sanji’s arm and began to drag him along.

 

Sanji shook off his grip with an irritated huff and fell into step with Zoro’s long stride, “You could have tried to tell me this shit beforehand. You know, when you could have also fucking mentioned that you can use your freaky spirit powers to magically find this fucking cave!”

 

“I didn’t want to overload your tiny brai…” Zoro froze, his playful sneer settling into a more serious expression, “Do you feel that?”

 

Swallowing the clever retort he’d been about to unleash to cut the shitty tree-bastard down to size, Sanji shifted his focus to the mountain once more. This time it was far easier to slip into a state of full awareness, and he closed his eyes as he absorbed the steady energy of the mountain around him; trying to pick out what had alerted Zoro.

 

A thin trickle of bitter cold suddenly knifed through his consciousness. Gasping and wide-eyed, Sanji doubled over as the icy sensation burned in his chest. Zoro placed a large, comforting hand on his shoulder, and Sanji felt warmth spread up his arm from the runes around his wrist. He watched as a small, green flame flickered to life on his forearm; dancing harmlessly over the fabric of his sleeve. The fire grew larger as the deadly chill was pushed out of his body, and Zoro squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as he was able to slow his panicked breathing, “Come on, cook.”

 

Sanji nodded silently. Zoro’s hand slid from his shoulder as the spirit strode ahead toward the source of the hostile energy; green fire licking around his bare feet and ankles vigorously. Hesitating a moment, Sanji was reassured when his own flames didn’t die down - burning steadily around his wrist. He hurried to follow Zoro further up the slope. Soon they reached the base of a sheer, rocky outcrop, and the two of them turned to follow the curve of the cliff as the drop in temperature became more noticeable.

 

Tucked partially behind a large boulder, they found a narrow crack in the mountain. The rocks around it were as still as death; frozen in place with black ice as freezing air poured out of the cave unchecked. There was no soft blanket of snow here; only jagged rocks and sharp icicles, crowding the mouth of the cave like a predator’s fangs...

 

“Is that it?” Sanji wrapped his arms around himself as he began to shiver in the frozen air.

 

Zoro’s expression was hard as he stared into the blackness of the cave, “Yeah…”

 

“Sh-shit…” Sanji’s teeth were chattering now as the chill began to crawl up his legs and the flames around his arm grew low.

 

“We need to go back.” Zoro stepped away from the menacing aura of the cave, “We’ve been here too long.”

 

Sanji tried to follow, but panic filled him when he couldn’t move his legs. Looking down, he saw ice crawling up over his dress-shoes; binding him to the dead rock. “ _Fuck!_ Zoro..!”

 

The tree spirit muttered a curse and grabbed his arm. He yanked Sanji away from the cave forcefully; breaking the hold of the ice with a painful crack. Sanji stumbled along behind Zoro as the spirit hurriedly dragged him back down the slope. His feet were completely numb, and sharp pains were shooting up his legs as it grew harder to move by the second…

 

“ _Hurry up!_ ” Zoro’s tone was urgent as Sanji nearly fell yet again. The sky above them was changing - growing as black as night. Glancing over his shoulder, Sanji could see the little yellow flowers on the mountain withering into the snow as an avalanche of rock and ice barreled down toward them in the distance. There was no sound; everything around them was being smothered by the growing darkness, and Sanji couldn’t even hear his own terrified curses as the wave of ice bore down on them.

 

Sanji was sure they were going to be buried alive just as Zoro dragged him into a thick cloud of snow hanging in the air before them. The crystalline flakes flashed brilliantly as they swirled around them, and completely obscuring Sanji’s vision with pure, blinding white… “ _Sanji!_ ”  

 

His eyes flew open and Sanji reflexively spat out the bitter, black stone in his mouth before he gasped in a deep breath. He stared, wild-eyed up as Robin’s concerned face swam into focus. The professor sat back on their heels, giving Sanji enough room to sit up as they watched, “Please don’t push yourself, Mr. Corbeau. You stopped breathing for quite some time…”

 

Sanji rubbed his temple with one dirty palm, trying to ease the sharp ache in his head, “What the hell _was_ that?!”

 

“A curse.” Professor Nico’s mouth was set in a grim line as they handed him a tin cup filled with steaming, aromatic liquid, “Drink this. It should help.”

 

Gratefully taking a sip, Sanji sighed as the drink burned a path down his throat to his belly; soothing him with its heat. He squirmed to sit more comfortably before looking around himself, “Where is Zoro?”

 

Robin sat beside him, leisurely sipping from their own cup, “He used much of his energy bringing you back and he’s resting in his tree for the moment. Did you find the tunnel entrance?”

 

“Yeah.” Sanji shuddered, “Something bad is in there… I was never sure that ‘curse’ shit was real, but I fucking believe it now.”

 

The professor made a low sound of agreement as they finished the last of their drink, “Unfortunately, we must press onward. The answers to all the riddles are through that mountain.”

 

“I know.” Sanji savored the last warming swallows as he emptied his cup. They had come too far to turn back now.

 

“Are you well enough now?” The professor collected his mug and slipped it back into their rucksack.

 

Nodding, Sanji slowly got to his feet. His whole body felt heavy, and his muscles were stiff and sore. He took a moment to stretch and shake out the tension in his limbs as Robin checked their supplies. The professor handed him some hard bread and cheese, “You need to try and get your strength back up on the way. Unless you want to camp here for the night?”

 

“No.” Sanji shook his head. He just wanted to get this shit over with. The sooner they broke this fucking curse, the better. The professor didn’t protest his decision; tying Zoro’s cloth-bundled urn back onto the sled before settling the harness straps over their own shoulders. Sanji was too fucking drained and unsteady to demand that Robin let him finish his turn as the day’s sled-puller, but he made a point of taking Robin’s pack back off the sled and ducking his head through the strap so it rested against his spine at an angle.

 

He glanced at his shitty, spirit-friend’s urn before they set off once more up the mountain. Zoro was still resting inside his tree, and Sanji hoped that the spirit would be okay. Even though he was tiny now, and much weaker than he used to be, Sanji would still feel better knowing that Zoro would be able to help them in a pinch like he had with the feral dogs…

 

This time Sanji led the way as they climbed up the mountainside toward the cave. When they reached the entrance to the tunnel, it looked much different than it had in his ‘connected’ state. There were no frigid, evil auras or deadly, sentient ice. However, Sanji was still hesitant to go inside. He figured it was an understandable feeling, and he was more than a little relieved when the professor suggested they take a moment to check that they had everything they might need close at hand before entering the cave.

 

Robin was digging through their baggage for extra oil to fill the lanterns when Zoro reappeared. He blinked into view on Sanji’s shoulder, yawning hugely. Sanji snorted - secretly relieved that the spirit appeared to be unharmed, “I don’t think you’ve hibernated long enough, lazy plant.”

 

Zoro sluggishly shuffled over to Sanji’s collar and tugged at it in irritation when he noticed that Sanji had buttoned it back up all the way and he couldn’t climb inside, “S’more comfortable in your coat…” His small features were set into a grumpy scowl as he made a threatening pinching gesture with one hand, “Let me in. I’m too tired to make myself appear again...”

 

Rolling his eyes, Sanji began to undo the top two buttons of his outerwear and pulled the strap of Robin’s rucksack away from his chest long enough to let Zoro climb in. He’d already learned the hard way that even though the tree spirit was about the height of his thumb, his pinches _hurt_. The little fucker was just as unpleasant to deal with as a nest of wasps, and left nearly as many welts. “Try not to drool all over in there? I don’t want your nasty spit in my clothes.”

 

Grumbling as he snuggled himself into Sanji’s pocket, the tiny spirit gave him the finger in response before curling up to go back to sleep. Settling the baggage strap in a position where the tree spirit wouldn’t accidentally be squished, Sanji buttoned his fur parka back up to keep them both warm, and patted his coat over his hidden pocket with a smirk. He chuckled when Zoro retaliated with the thump of a small fist against Sanji’s chest and a muffled curse.

 

Feeling better now that he knew Zoro was okay, he pulled his precious pack of cigarettes and matches out of his pants’ pocket. He only had one slightly-crushed cigarette left. Lighting the match on the boulder resting near the cave entrance, he lit his smoke and watched as Robin poured more oil into both of their lanterns. Breathing in the soothing bitterness of his cigarette, Sanji checked to make sure his knife was easy to reach, and that the professor’s spare pistol was loose in the holster on his belt and ready to fire.

 

“Ready?” The professor held out one of the lanterns, it’s small flame burning strong.

 

Sanji accepted it with a wry grin, “As I’ll ever be.”

 

Robin nodded and stepped into the cave - the scrape of the sled’s runners growing more grating as the sound ricocheted off the rock walls, “Keep an eye on the lanterns. If you see the flames acting unusual or going out let me know right away. Underground areas like these often contain deadly gases.”

 

“Great…” Sanji muttered unhappily, watching the professor’s lantern light warily as he followed them into the deepening darkness.

 

The tunnel they were traveling through quickly widened, obviously carved out by human hands. Sanji examined the old wooden beams lining the cave with interest, and the professor spoke up when they passed the inky-black entrance to another tunnel, “Please be sure to stay close. There are many of these kinds of passages in this area. I found trade documents when I was researching the people who used to live here that said this used to be an area known for producing high quality precious metals. It would be very easy to become lost down here.”

 

Sanji had to agree as they passed a number of other tunnel entrances before the professor turned off their current path to go down a much narrower tunnel. He stuck close to Robin as they moved quickly through the silent passages - the professor stopping every so often to check their collection of old maps and handwritten documents carefully before they continued through the mines. Sanji kept quiet and finished his cigarette; flicking the spent butt into the entrance to yet another tunnel as they passed. He understood that the professor needed to concentrate on not getting turned around in the maze of tunnels, and that conversation would just be a distraction - even if it would pass the time and keep his mind off the realization that they were walking under thousands of tons of rock that were basically being held at bay by some goddamn sticks... However, when he noticed the flames of their lanterns flickering ominously he spoke up nervously, “Robin…?”

 

The professor paused and held up a hand, “Wait. Do you hear that?”

 

Straining his ears, Sanji heard a low, distant sound echoing down the tunnel before them. It sounded like moaning. The professor headed toward the source of the noise with rapid strides, the supply sled swaying and jerking as it was dragged swiftly over the uneven rock floor. Sanji hurried to catch up, anxiously watching the increasing flicker of their lanterns as the moaning grew more distinct. The two of them turned a sharp corner and reached a dead end with a small, metal ladder stretching up a long, narrow shaft. Robin lifted their lantern higher, but neither of them could see how far up the ladder went. Another eerie moan echoed down the shaft and Sanji felt cold air brush against his face as snowflakes drifted into view of their flickering lights. Now he knew what they had been hearing all this time, and he was annoyed that he hadn’t recognized the sound earlier... “It’s the wind. This must lead outside!”

 

The professor hummed in agreement, and realizing right away that they would have to pull up their supplies in order to go out this way, Sanji set his lantern on the ground so he could begin checking that everything was still secure on the sled. Professor Nico slipped out of the harness and dug their spare coil of rope out of the supplies, “I’ll go first and see if there’s anywhere to anchor this, and I’ll throw the end down so you can tie it to the sled if I find something.”

 

Sanji nodded his understanding and watched as the professor made their way up the ladder - carrying their lantern up easily when their ghostly, third hand appeared to help. It wasn’t long until Robin threw the end of the rope back down to him, and Sanji made sure to tie it tightly to the straps crossing the middle of the sled, before fastening his lantern to an iron loop embedded on the front of the frame. He quickly climbed up the lengthy ladder himself to help Robin pull it up the shaft.

 

Even with the two of them, and Robin’s multiple hands, it was still an arduous task getting the supplies up out of the mineshaft. The distance to the top was well over a hundred feet, and they had to pull slowly to keep the sled from spinning and damaging the supplies or Zoro’s earthenware pot. By the time they finally got the supplies out of the mine, Sanji’s hands were cramping and he was even more worn out than before.

 

Robin insisted that they all sit and rest before continuing on to see if they could reach the town. Apparently they were still a few miles away from where the maps indicated that the town should be. The commotion of getting up the mineshaft had woken up Zoro, and the tree spirit was sitting on Sanji’s shoulder, listening to Robin repeat their earlier explanation of the mine under the mountain while Sanji exchanged the thick wrapping of cotton he’d been using as extra insulation in his boots and checking his feet for signs of frostbite as he listened to the constant wail just outside of the room they where they were resting. The area at the top of the mineshaft had been partially enclosed by a wooden lean-to that had been built against the side of the mountain. Behind them gaped another entrance into the mountain through a wall of rock that had been carved flat, and Sani could see the start of a railway for mining carts in the gloom of the mine where the light from their lanterns just barely reached. In front of them an old, wooden door rattled under the onslaught of a howling wind; snowflakes trickling into the lean-to through the small gaps in the worn doorframe.

 

“It sounds like quite a bad storm out there, but we are actually quite close to the town.” Professor Nico commented thoughtfully when a particularly strong gust rattled the door loudly, “It most likely will be very difficult to pull the sled if the snow is very deep... Perhaps it would work best if I break the path and pull, since I’ll be navigating, and you can push from behind? That way it will be easier for us to stay together too. I’m afraid we won’t have much of a chance to survive if we get separated.” They turned their dark eyes to Sanji and raised a questioning eyebrow, “What do you think?”

 

Sanji sat quietly for a moment, listening to the sounds of the wind. He didn’t think that the professor would have suggested going out in this storm unless they were reasonably sure that they all could make it. Also if the curse was a real thing, it was likely that this miserable weather was a part of it, and it wouldn’t matter how long they stayed here to try and wait it out… He didn’t like it, but staying here and eventually starving when their dwindling supplies finally ran out didn’t seem much different than risking freezing to death out there.

 

Sighing in resignation, Sanji shrugged, “I don’t see how we really have a choice.”

 

Robin’s lips thinned unhappily, but they nodded in agreement, “Then we best make sure that we’re prepared…”

 

For next next several minutes Zoro sat on the floor, basking in the slight heat of one of the lanterns, and watching them as Robin and Sanji checked over the supplies. The two of them took turns changing into dry layers of clothes in the next room before dividing up what little food they had left to carry on their persons just in case the worst happened. Sanji made sure to wrap an extra layer around Zoro’s tree to keep the little spirit safe before they covered all the supplies with a fur blanket and tied it down tight.

 

Zoro transported himself onto Sanji’s shoulder while they waited for the professor to finish chanting over a large, blue crystal they had pulled out of their supplies earlier. Sanji leaned against the wall of the lean-to as he quietly sharpened his hunting knife. After a moment Zoro rudely poked his cheek to get his attention, “Hey, shitty-spirals, do you remember that story your old man told you? The one about the ocean with every fish?”

 

Sanji squinted suspiciously at Zoro from the corner of his eye, “You mean that legend about All Blue?” The tree spirit nodded, and Sanji asked curiously, “Yeah, I remember. What about it?”

 

Sitting on the blond’s shoulder and absently swinging a foot back and forth, Zoro leaned back on his hands with a small smile, “That one was your favorite. I remember how you always used to say that you were gonna buy a boat and find it for yourself...” Snorting, Zoro met Sanji’s gaze, “Do you even know how to swim?”

 

Rolling his eyes, Sanji slipped his knife back into his belt and tucked the whetstone into his coat pocket, “Fuck you, you sorry-ass woodpile. It can’t be that hard to learn!”

 

Zoro laughed at that before the professor abruptly ceased their chanting and scooped up the now brightly-glowing crystal, “This should serve us better than the lanterns in that wind… Are you ready? Mr. Corbeau? Mr. Spirit?”

 

“Yeah,” Sanji pushed off the wall, and glanced at the tree spirit, “Are you going to ride in my coat or would you rather stick to your tree?”

 

Holding the blond’s gaze for a long moment with a solemn look in his green eyes, Zoro finally asked, “Do you still want to see it? All Blue?”

 

Sanji’s expression softened as he remembered listening to Zeff’s stories about the magical ocean, and the colorful descriptions of fish he’d never seen looking like jewels in the bright, blue water… “I do. Someday.”

 

Zoro nodded in approval, “Then let’s go find it. After all this is over.”

 

Unable to hold back a grin, Sanji nodded back at the tree spirit before Zoro crawled down inside his coat. The professor offered him a small smile as he buttoned up his parka and tied a woollen scarf almost entirely around his head. Professor Nico shifted the harness straps over their shoulders and offered softly, “I would love to hear about it when you find that place, Mr. Corbeau.”

 

The two of them hesitated for a heartbeat as the professor secured their own scarf around their head. The smile fell from Sanji’s face beneath the warm shield of his headgear as he mentally prepared himself to face the wrath of the curse. Then the professor opened the door, and the first blast of frigid air took Sanji’s breath away with its intensity. Robin stepped out into the storm, and Sanji followed them into the driving snow.

 

Sanji quickly lost all sense of time as they struggled to move the supply sled forward through the deep snow. The icy wind bit mercilessly at Sanji’s face even through the thick hood of his fur coat and his scarf. Windblown snow stung any bit of exposed skin like needles, and his eyes ached from trying to see through the freezing onslaught of the storm. His feet and fingers hurt like a motherfucker, and he knew enough about frostbite to know that they had to get out of this accursed weather soon. Zoro was suffering too. The little tree spirit was shivering inside Sanji’s coat as the freezing temperatures threatened the tender little leaves on his potted tree - despite the extra protection of the fur blanket over the supply sled.

 

Forcing his tired, frozen body to increase his pace, Sanji stumbled out of the trail broken by the sled with the intent to catch up to Robin - following the blue light of their enchanted crystal. The icy crust on the surface of the deep snow caught at his legs with edges like broken glass, and each step sent dull pain shooting up his shins. The deep snow sapped what little energy he still had, and he tripped and fell more than once when he was unable to make his feet move properly - forcing him to waste strength and time struggling back to his feet. It was only because the professor’s pace had significantly slowed from the burden of the sled that he didn’t lose them as he fought his way through the snow. He finally caught up and grabbed Robin’s coat sleeve to get their attention before tugging down his scarf and raising his voice to be heard over the wind, “ _We need to find shelter! We will freeze to death before we find the town in this fucking blizzard!_ ”

 

The professor squinted at him through ice-crusted lashes before pulling down their own scarf; revealing badly-chapped lips that were worryingly pale. After a moment, Robin gestured ahead while the corner of their mouth quirked up in a weak smile and they shouted a reply over the howl of the storm, “ _If I’m not mistaken, we have found the town_...”

 

Sanji tried to focus his stinging eyes to make out anything in the driving snow that looked like a town. He could barely see his own fucking glove-covered hand in front of his face as he futilely tried to block some of the blinding wind. Frustrated, he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at the ice clinging to his scruffy facial hair and eyelashes. He couldn’t see for shit in this weather, but he suspected that professor Nico had lost their damn mind. “ _Robin, I don’t think…_ ”

 

Suddenly the wind shifted - parting around the two of them as if it was blocked by an invisible barrier. Sanji looked around in amazement and confusion at the snow swirling by, just out of reach. If it weren’t for the fact that he was still miserably cold and in pain, Sanji would be convinced that they all had dropped dead...

 

However, that still struck him as a possibility when the mist-like form of a young girl in a white dress and a brown-furred cloak appeared out of thin air. She was standing just inside the range of the blue glow from Robin’s crystal; balanced on the surface of the frozen snow-crust in white, knee-high, fur boots as she stared at them blankly. Her face was unnaturally colorless and indistinct beneath the preserved ferocity of the heavy bear’s skull and fanged upper jaw that formed the hood of her bearskin cape.

 

“Holy shit…!” Sanji reeled back in alarm, “Robin, do you see that?! Is she…?!”

 

“Yes.” The professor’s tone was intrigued as they stood their ground, “I do believe that she is what you would call a ‘ghost’.”

 

Sanji made a strangled sound in his throat as he sincerely hoped that the professor knew how to deal with creepy-as-hell children. She took a step toward them - her lips moving like she was speaking - only Sanji couldn’t hear a single sound. He looked over at Robin, and saw that the professor’s face was creased in a troubled frown. They didn’t seem to be able to hear her either… Opening the front of his coat, Sanji reached in and scooped Zoro out of his pocket. The spirit made disgruntled sounds as he was exposed to the bitter cold, and glared hatefully back up at the blond, “Th’fuck do you think you’re doin’?” Zoro slurred his angry question through chattering teeth.

 

Jerking his chin toward the ghost, Sanji asked, “What does she want? Is she going to try and drag us to hell or some shit?”

 

Wrapping his arms around his small body and shivering, Zoro snapped, “How th’hell would I know?!”

 

Just as suddenly as she had come, the little girl’s form flickered, then disappeared. However, Sanji’s sense of relief was short-lived when she popped into view again just a little further ahead than before. She spoke to them soundlessly again before moving back a step…

 

“We need to follow her.” Zoro’s expression was now intense as he stared down the ghost, “That’s what she’s saying.”

 

“Very well.” Professor Nico began to take off the harness for the supply sled, “It would be faster if we leave this here for now.”

 

Sanji spluttered incredulously, “You can’t be serious! Where the hell do you think she wants us to go?! _We’re going to end up dead in a ravine!_ ”

 

Rolling his eyes, Zoro vanished out of Sanji’s hand and reappeared on Robin’s shoulder, “Really, curly? Afraid of a little girl?”                                          

 

“No! But evil ghosts are not something that I can just fucking kick in the teeth and be done with it!” Sanji gave an exasperated huff when his companions ignored his legitimate concerns as Robin used their own knife to cut Zoro’s cloth-bundled urn free from the sled.

 

The tiny tree spirit raised a single eyebrow and smirked at Sanji, “Don’t worry, blondie. I’ll protect you from the _little girl_.”

 

Scowling, Sanji gave him the finger in response, “I hope she eats you with fucking cremini mushrooms, sauteed in white wine, and a grated, aged parmesan topping…!”

 

Zoro snorted at that, “I’ll be in my tree if you need me, shitty, overpaid waiter.”

 

The tree spirit vanished before Sanji could shoot back with an insult in reply, but he called him a ‘stunted dirt-fucker’ anyway knowing full well that Zoro could hear him even in his tree. He cooperated with a feeling of resignation when Professor Nico suggest that he carry Zoro’s urn ‘since they were spiritually bonded’ with a mischievous twinkle in their dark eyes. He let Robin tie the bundled tree to his back with rope before the two of them began to follow the ghost that had been waiting with surprising patience.

 

It quickly became clear that the little girl had some sort of effect on the blizzard still raging around them, because the wind didn’t touch them the entire time that they hiked after her. While it was much easier going without the burden of the sled or the blinding ice, the deep snow was still a bitch to hike through. Sanji and Robin took turns walking ahead and breaking the trail; both of them stumbling often as their weary, frozen feet caught on the heavy snow or the hard ice-crust. Sanji found himself feeling jealous of the dead child’s ability to walk lightly on top of the snowdrifts or materialize wherever she wished.

 

Despite their exhaustion, Sanji and the professor quickly covered a lot of ground, and soon they found themselves following the ghost through the icy ruins of a large town. Sanji realized just how deep the snowfall was when he realized that there were numerous structures where he could only see the roof emerging from the snow. Every exposed surface was coated in thick layers of ice and snow. Heavy rime grew out in a jungle of deadly, horizontal spikes from the leeward walls of ruined homes; sculpted into jagged wings by the driving wind as ice caught on ice and froze fast. The scenery held a macabre beauty, not unlike the intricately carved headstones in a graveyard.

 

The ground became steeper as they followed the dead girl out of the main part of the town. Around them the storm became more intense. The wind shrieking unlike anything Sanji had ever heard before. Lightning streaked through the driving ice, and sharp cracks of thunder echoed like gunshots in the air. The snow underfoot became more solid ice; impossible to break through and treacherous underfoot as they were forced to tread carefully on the slick surface.

 

Sanji didn’t see the massive church until they had reached the broad, stone front steps. The structure was by far the biggest building that he’d ever seen; the ornate facade stretching far above them, and beyond where it became obscured by the blizzard. Tall, arching windows decorated the front of the building in organized rows. None of them contained any glass panes, and it was then that Sanji realized that the relentless wind and ice was pouring out from _inside the building_.

 

“...All my fault.” The childish ghost before them seemed to grow more corporeal; her features becoming clearer as she wrung her hands, “This is all my fault.”

 

She looked at them with sad, dark-blue eyes. Her too-white skin and pale wisps of hair were tinted a light blue with the light from Robin’s crystal. Sanji’s breath caught in his throat when he saw the delicately looping design of shimmering, purple vines and flowers surround her left eye - eerily similar to his own mark.

 

Professor Nico drew a little closer to her and asked gently, “What is your fault? Do you have a name?”

 

The little girl answered, but Sanji couldn’t hear all the words; her body was already beginning to fade once again, “My nam… Everyone in the town was too greedy… mines… hurt my frien...To protect the mountain I performed the spell to bond… made her powerf…” The ghost blinked out of sight briefly before reappearing with horror in her eyes, “ _She knows you’re here…!_ ”

 

Their spectral guide vanished on the front steps just as a massive lightning bolt streaked through the air above them. The resulting boom of thunder was overshadowed by a monstrous roar that shook Sanji to his core and reverberated in his bones. Zoro materialized on Sanji’s shoulder. His eyes were wild as he clutched at the collar of the blond’s coat, “ _That_ wasn’t thunder.”

 

Professor Nico’s face was grim and deeply shadowed; illuminated by the blue crystal in their white-knuckled grip, “Sanji… Zoro… I am sorry. I was not prepared for this...”

 

Sanji stared at the massive double-doors before them with a sense of dread. This was more than just a curse. Whatever was waiting in there was far more terrible - more powerful.

 

The numbing chill settling over his body and soul was dispelled when he felt a burst of heat and energy from the runes hidden under his sleeve. Glancing over to where Zoro was still gripping his coat, he saw the tiny spirit standing straight and proud. His childish features looked fierce as tongues of green fire flickered from his eyes and in his hair. The runes around his ankles were glowing a brilliant emerald, and Sanji knew that his own tattoo was just as bright as it pulsed with energy. He could feel Zoro’s power like pure heat in his veins, and something deep within him welled up in response. Suddenly, even though Sanji could still sense the frigid malice of the aura lurking beyond that door, he found himself burning with the urge to fight back.

 

After all, a monster was something he could kick in the teeth.

 

He met the professor’s keen eyes, and they studied him for a long moment before curling their lips back in a vicious parody of a smile, “I suppose there is not much purpose in rituals and schemes when simple brute force will do.”

 

Marching up the icy steps, Sanji boldly threw open the massive doors - the hinges creaking and cracking as they were released from the ice that had bound them for so long. The raging blizzard died in an instant as the sound of the doors echoed in the too-still air with a chilling clarity. The vast sanctuary inside the church had obviously once been grandiose and resplendent with fine architecture representing the wealth of the town. However, now most of the ceiling was gone, and a thick pillar of ice - the width of at least five men with outstretched arms - rose from where the altar should be. In the center of the sanctuary was a giant heap of snow and rubble, as well as glittering jewelry, flashing gems and ornate weapons. Sanji felt his stomach turn when he saw skeletal limbs still wearing expensive, gold bracelets, and partially preserved corpses clutching silver vases to their icy hearts mixed in with the rest of the treasure… At the base of the pile lay the small skeleton of a child; a white dress and ragged, bearskin cloak hanging loosely off the white bones.

 

The snow on top of the pile shifted and shuddered before lifting and revealing themselves to be a pair of enormous, icy wings - giving Sanji his first look at the monster. It lifted itself up on long, birdlike legs that had the appearance and texture of black granite. The talons on each foot were easily as long as Sanji’s arm, and the beast looked at least two stories tall as it towered over them. Spikes of ice, layered like feathers, coated its body, and they were continually shedding and then reforming over its rocky skin. The falling ice froze to the surface of whatever it touched, quickly forming gleaming spires.

 

Huge, yellow eyes regarded them with undisguised hate. The face might have at one time been human, but now the mouth and nose were distorted into a short muzzle, packed with crooked fangs of clear ice. The skin of its features was smooth and white, like marble; the forehead sloping back with a more animal shape. Instead of hair, the beast had a thick, spiky mane of emerald crystals. The green stones were varying lengths and sizes; running down the beast’s spine and ending just above the frozen ‘feathers’ of a broad, birdlike tail.

 

The beast roared at them in fury; wind and ice blasting from its gaping maw. It leaped down from the top of the grisly treasure hoard, and Sanji had to fling himself to the side - narrowly missing being impaled by the beast’s black talons. It dug its claws into the cracked, marble floor with an enraged shriek before turning and hissing in a gravelly voice, “ _It’s mine! I will protect my mountain!_ ”

 

Across the room, where they had dodged in the other direction, professor Nico’s face tightened in realization and they shouted over to Sanji, “ _It’s a guardian spirit…!_ ” They were forced to shelter behind a large chunk of the fallen ceiling when the beast targeted them with a vicious swipe of its wings. The thick ice of the monster’s feathers cracked the debris and left huge spears of ice embedded into the stone, but Robin was safe in their hiding place.

 

Somehow still clinging to Sanji’s collar, Zoro murmured in the blond’s ear, “It isn’t a guardian anymore. Not like this.”

 

Keeping low, Sanji crawled closer to the pile of treasure in an attempt to get behind the beast. He waited to whisper his question as he didn’t stop moving; keeping an eye on the beast as it raged and clawed at the rubble strewn throughout the room in its attempt to catch Robin. The professor was cleverly baiting it further by making their phantom hands appear in various places, and keeping its attention off their true location as well as Sanji.

 

The blond crouched behind the beast, and took a moment to use his knife to cut the ropes holding Zoro’s urn on his back before tucking it back into his belt. He noted a trickle of dirt seeping through the protective cloths with concern. The pot must have broken in his fall, but Zoro seemed okay so the tree must not have been hurt. He plucked the spirit off his shoulder and set him on the ground beside his pot before pulling the pistol from his belt and cocking the hammer.

 

“ _What do you think you’re doing?!_ ” The green flames still flickering from Zoro’s eyes flared angrily as he hissed, “ _Do you want to die?!_ ”

 

Ignoring the tree spirit’s question, Sanji murmured as he took a moment to shrug out of his thick coat, “Hey. What did you mean that it’s not a guardian?”

 

Zoro looked over at the beast as it flung away a large chunk of the floor before attacking another one of Robin’s ‘hands’. He crossed his arms and muttered, “It’s not a spirit anymore. It’s lost its connection to the mountain and now it’s just a monster.”

 

“Perfect.”

 

Standing, Sanji felt the power flowing from the runes on his arm. He focused on it; letting the heat of it fill his mind. Green flames erupted from his hand - blazing up his arm and then down his side as he willed it to where he needed it. The fire enveloped his legs; chasing away all his pain and fatigue. He knew instinctively how much faster he could move now, and just how much stronger his legs were. Waiting until he had a clear path; Sanji charged straight for the beast’s back.

 

All his senses were razor-sharp; aiding him when the monster heard his footsteps and began to turn. Sanji leaped and landed lightly on a broad wing - changing his trajectory in an instant. Beneath his feet, the ice tried to freeze to his boots, but the green flames kept it at bay. He fired his gun when the monster twisted its upper body around to try and snap at him. The beast howled in shock and pain when the bullet ricocheted off its face; leaving a crack by its eye. Hands sprouted all over the beast’s body, grasping at its wings and head as Robin seized the chance to pin the monster.

 

Sanji jumped the few feet to land beside the giant crystals jutting out of the monster’s back at the top of its spine. Summoning every ounce of supernatural strength that the bond could give him, Sanji spun on one foot and landed a heavy mule-kick to the vulnerable back of the monster’s skull.

 

However his hit didn’t land.

 

A sick feeling filled him in the instant he registered his foot passing through the beast’s body like a mist. He tumbled to the floor along with the lifeless hunks of granite and green crystals that had once formed the monster’s bulk. Above him hovered a swirling mass of ice and wind. Giant yellow eyes spat lightning as the ice grew solid once more. The green flames protecting him went out as Sanji’s back hit the floor. The beast was on him in an instant; leering down at him with bared fangs as the ice from its partially reformed body crept up his legs and binding him in place.

 

Sanji heard a gunshot and one of the beast’s eyes exploded in a shower of sparks as Robin fired their pistol. The beast jerked away from Sanji with a roar of pain. The ice stopped creeping up his body as the monster writhed in a tornado of snow and ice a short distance away. Sanji desperately clawed at his belt until he located his knife and began using it to frantically chip away at the ice around his legs.

 

The beast recovered; breathing a steady stream of ice as it charged after Robin - icy talons extended as it streaked over the floor like a freezing hurricane. Sanji shouted in alarm, and tried to summon the flames from his runes once more. However, he didn’t feel even the faintest trickle of power, and he watched in horror, knowing that the professor wouldn’t be able to escape.

 

“ _You have no right to this mountain!_ ”  Zoro’s voice boomed through the room like thunder.

 

Sanji snapped his head around so fast his neck popped, and he gaped at where the tree spirit stood as tall as any other grown man. Surprisingly the beast froze in place and turned its remaining eye on Zoro with a baleful glare, “ _You cannot take it from me!_ ” The monster flew at Zoro with an incensed howl.

 

Zoro dodged to the side; hitting the floor hard enough that he slid as the beast crashed into the pile of treasure behind him. Sanji felt confusion as he watched the tree spirit struggle to his feet. He wasn’t acting like himself? There was no green fire, no spirit powers of any kind… Sanji narrowed his eyes as Zoro grabbed a long, white sword that had been flung from the treasure hoard and landed near his feet.

 

What had the stupid tree gone and done?!

 

Realization hit him, and Sanji quickly spotted where he’d left Zoro’s potted tree… The cloths wrapped around the urn had been shredded, revealing the shattered earthenware pot and the dirt spilling haphazardly out onto the white marble floor. And Zoro’s tree… The thin sapling was still smoking; green flames slowly dying out as the last leaf at the tip was reduced to a burnt husk. As that final, green flame faded into a thin wisp of smoke, Sanji saw Zoro stumble with a pained gasp.

 

“ _Zoro!_ ” Sanji screamed as he saw the monster lunge for his friend. The beast lashed out with its deadly talons, wounding him deeply. Bright red blood splattered onto the marble floor from the grave injuries across his chest and left eye. Zoro staggered back, but did not fall, and he glanced in Sanji’s direction before mouthing the word, ‘ _run_ ’.

 

Bleeding heavily, Zoro faced the beast once more and raised the sword in his hands over his head. Sanji couldn’t look away. Zoro was going to die. The stupid bastard had given up his spirit-powers to be able to pick a fight to give the rest of them time to get away, and now he was going to be killed in front of Sanji’s eyes…

 

Fury blazed in the blond’s chest; how _dare_ he throw his life away like this?! When this was all over, he was going to _murder_ the fucking _ex_ -tree bastard, and serve him to wild dogs as barbeque! And for him to think that Sanji would run off so he could play martyr...?!

 

The ice still encasing his legs popped and steamed as Sanji’s vision turned bright golden with hot anger. He didn’t even notice the brilliant flames flaring up along his legs as the ice rapidly melted, or the tongues of golden fire flickering from the glowing, white-hot mark around his left eye… All he could see was the pain on Zoro’s bloodied face, and the fine tremor of the man’s arms as the beast lunged at him again. Sanji screamed at his friend with all his might, “ _Just fucking kill it!_ ”

 

As the blond’s desperate words echoed in the ruined church, the runes around Zoro’s ankles glowed brilliantly gold; searing flames darting along his body and instantly engulfing his hands. The fire licked up his blade; focusing there and turning the metal red-hot as Zoro brought it down on the beast’s head. The monster’s agonized shriek died quickly in its throat when Zoro cleaved it in two. The flaming sword cut through the beast’s body of snow and ice with ease - dissipating the corpse into a cloud of steam before the pieces of the monster’s body reached the floor.

 

The golden flames died just as quickly as they had ignited when Zoro dropped his sword with a loud, metallic clatter and collapsed to his knees. Sanji got to his feet in a flash and raced to Zoro’s side. He was amazed and relieved to discover that his friend’s wounds had stopped bleeding; cauterized by the magical fire. However, Zoro’s left eye had been blinded; scarred a milky-white where there wound used to be.

 

The former spirit gave Sanji an exhausted smile as he accepted the hand the blond silently offered. Sanji pulled him to his feet and promptly punched him hard in the jaw. Zoro staggered back a step with a pained grunt and glared murderously at the blond as he rubbed at the sore spot. However, Sanji refused to apologize for his actions, and hissed angrily, “Don’t you _ever_ try to die for me again!”

 

Lips curling in a familiar sneer, Zoro crossed his muscular arms, “Well maybe if you can stop getting your curly ass kicked then I won’t have to!”

 

Sanji lunged forward and grabbed the collar of Zoro’s green robe - fully intent on punching the bastard again - but the professor interrupted him with a gentle touch on the shoulder, “Someone wants to speak with the two of you…”

 

Looking over his shoulder, Sanji let Zoro go when he saw the little girl ghost standing behind him wearing a shy smile. Her hand was tightly clasped in the hand of the young woman standing beside her - obviously another ghost. Sanji felt that the young woman looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite recall where he may have met her before. Her golden eyes were warm and kind; framed by long locks of green hair with little yellow flowers tangled in the strands. She was wearing a pale, blue dress, with a soft white shawl draping down her back, long enough to brush the ground. She smiled at them, and her voice was light and sweet when she spoke, “Thank you for helping us. And… We’re sorry.” Sadness settled on the young woman’s features, and the little girl moved a little closer to her with regret also in her big, blue eyes. The two of them lingered for a moment before fading from sight.

 

As soon as the two ghosts had vanished entirely, the pillar of ice in the front of the sanctuary cracked loudly. Sanji could see a giant fracture running up the length of the pillar. “Perhaps we should move to a safer spot?” Professor Nico suggested wisely as they all watched smaller cracks form on the pillar and begin to widen. Following the trail that they had broken before, the three of them made it to the edge of the buried town before a deafening crack had Sanji turning to look back.

 

The ice pillar had buckled and now the frozen surface was disintegrating into a shining dust that hung in the cold air. The professor smiled, “I believe that the weather will return to the way it should be very soon.”

 

Sanji watched in awe as the pillar vanished upwards, and then the steely clouds... they too began to crumble. Indescribable joy filled him as Sanji watched the clouds that had long tormented him disappear into temporary showers of shimmering ice-dust. The change spread outward quickly, and soon the whole sky was filled with tiny rainbows as the long-hidden sunshine reflected in all the tiny, drifting ice particles.

 

The light mountain wind sent the remaining ice-dust floating toward the western horizon - leaving nothing but beautiful blue sky stretching as far as Sanji could see. Looking at his companions, Sanji took in their joyous expressions with contentment. Professor Nico was smiling broadly despite their cold-cracked lips, and their eyes were filled with happy tears. They sniffled a little before going ahead to reach the sled; explaining that ‘an event of this kind of historical significance should be recorded when fresh in the mind’.

 

On his other side, Zoro looked more open and peaceful than Sanji had ever seen - even when Kuina had still been with them - and he couldn’t find it in himself to regret any part of what they had been through to get to this point. They may be battered and scarred, but being able to share this adventure with his best friend was worth it. And now he never had to leave Zoro alone up on that shitty hill ever again…

 

Sanji swayed and playfully bumped Zoro’s shoulder with his own, “I think I’m ready to spend some time in the nice, warm jungle… See a few trees... get a tan… and then maybe we can see how well mossy logs float in the ocean. What do you say, leaf-brain?”

 

Zoro smirked and threw an arm around his shoulders, “Well I’m sure that logs can float about as well as shitty blonds can roll down a hill!”

 

Sanji squawked when Zoro attempted to shove him. He stumbled forward and cursed at his friend colorfully in mock-anger before lunging at the former spirit. Zoro dodged and the two of them chased each other down the mountain - trying to trip or shove one another into the melting snow as they went.  


End file.
